


Full Circle

by ineedathesaurus



Category: Artemis Fowl - Eoin Colfer, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Boarding School, Crossover, Drunken Shenanigans, F/M, Family Issues, Fourth Year, Friendship, Gen, Hogwarts, One-Shots, Partnership, Ravenclaw, Slow Burn, Slytherin, Yule Ball
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:01:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 29,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26191615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ineedathesaurus/pseuds/ineedathesaurus
Summary: When Slytherin's most devious mind collides with Ravenclaw's most free-spirited Quibbler reader.
Relationships: Artemis Fowl II & Luna Lovegood
Comments: 11
Kudos: 52





	1. Jig

Artemis pulled back the curtains around his four-poster bed to see that everyone else had woken up early that Christmas morning.

“Ah Artemis, you’re finally awake!” Theodore greeted from the pile of gifts he had found himself in.

Blaise was already on the side of Artemis’ bed as if ready to perform a spell “That’s strange usually the only thing to wake you up on a Christmas morning is if I woke you up with a little rainstorm”

The Irish glared “Not today Blaise not today”

“Glad to see the Christmas spirit has finally caught on to you” Draco was also in the center of the room opening gifts.

“I’m surprised it even reached you!” Blaise placed his wand under his robes “Aren’t you tired of receiving coal every year?”

“Don’t make me hex you this early in the morning!” Draco said raising his wand.

“Come on you two, that’s not how you feel the Christmas spirit” Theodore stood between the two boys. “And we’ve got the Yule Ball to attend as well later”

The blond put down his wand “Well don’t want to disappoint your imaginary date with your absence”

This made Blaise snort “You’re just jealous that my date has more class than yours!”

“So Theodore, who did you decide to bring?” Artemis spoke feeling sorry for Theodore having to play peacemaker between the two again.

“Well there’s Elena Sparrow from Ravenclaw” Theodore replied “She seems quite decent, she’s also quite pretty as well”

“Anyone is prettier than Pansy” Blaise raised his finger “And Draco you would be a hypocrite to deny that”

Artemis shook his head “So you couldn’t shake her off?”

Draco sighed “Mother told me to be nice”

“Why didn’t you just get another date?” Theodore asked “I mean, I’m sure your mother would understand that”

“Knowing Pansy she probably scared the entire female population off the poor guy” Blaise rubbed his chin “She probably hexed that girl who was about to ask you out during Potions”

Draco turned to Artemis “Well I don’t see you going around asking girls, are you still going stag?”

“ARTEMIS HOW COULD YOU!” Theodore raised his hands “Several girls were pestering me all week just to mention their names to you!”

The Irish rubbed his forehead “I rather not meddle with such simple matters as looking for a date, there are bigger problems I have to deal with”

“Like escaping the last-minute party of girls?” Blaise looked at the window that had several owls tapping the glass “They would seize every opportunity up till the clock strikes . . . uhh, what time does the ball start?”

Theodore gave his friend an apologetic look “He’s right Artemis the girls would still hunt for you like a hawk, going stag will only add more problems for you”

Artemis nodded “I’ve prepared for such measures”

“What are you gonna do?” Draco asked, “Hide under your Invisibility Cloak all day?”

“If only it were that simple Draco” Artemis said heading for the bathroom to get ready.

The entrance hall was packed with students all dressed in their best attire and dolled up waiting for eight o’clock. People from different houses meeting their partners were calling them by their names and waving their hands just trying to find them.

Blaise was wearing a dark green suit with his hair in its usual slick back manner and covered with a matching green fedora “Honestly how can you find people at this rate, I told you we should have just met them somewhere else!”

Theodore was wearing a grey tuxedo and adjusting his bow tie “We would have if you weren’t so cooped up with taming your hair!”

“My hair must be at its finest!” Blaise defended “You were so busy making sure your pants were pressed properly!”

“I didn’t want to look pudgy” Theodore turned to Draco who was wearing a burgundy slim fit tuxedo with a black vest and bow tie. “Where’s Pansy?”

The blond just shrugged “Probably plucking her brows or something”

“I’m sorry I’m late!” Pansy came running towards them wearing frilly robes of pale pink and her hair done like that of a poodle.

“What have you done with yourself!?” Draco stepped back in shock.

“I only wanted to look at my best Draco!” the girl wailed. “Where are your dates,” she asked the two then looked around for the missing fourth man “And where’s Artemis?”

Blaise sighed “Probably cornered in bathroom or something, he scampered as soon as we left the dungeons and I didn’t know he could put the effort in running”

“Indeed he hasn’t run that fast since we got chased by a troll” Theodore saw that the doors to the Great Hall had opened and he had even spotted their dates “THERE THEY ARE!” he jumped.

“Quit jumping or everyone will turn to see us” Blaise smirked “Then again that doesn’t sound like a bad idea”

“Quit dreaming Zabini,” said the stoic tone of none other than Artemis Fowl. The Irish boy was wearing powder blue dinner jacket with black slacks “Your date is a Chaser for the Ravenclaws remember that”

The guy rolled his eyes “Well look who decided to show up”

Draco seemed slightly relieved that his friend decided to attend the ball “I thought you’d ditch the entire thing”

“Mother wouldn’t forgive me if I failed to make an appearance,” Artemis said as they entered the Great Hall.

“Is that Granger?” Pansy gasped as the Gryffindor entered with Viktor Krum in hand.

Draco rubbed his eyes “Well what do you know, she looks human for once”

“She seems to clean up quite well” Artemis commented before looking at Pansy “What on earth have you done to your hair?”

“Can’t you men appreciate actual effort!?” Pansy raised her fist.

“We can’t seem to understand the effort being put” Blaise was still looking for his date “This is hopeless all I see are frilly gowns and grumpy Durnstrang students”

Theodore pulled Blaise’s collar “I see them follow me” and with that, they rushed into the sea of people locating their dates.

“So what do we do now?” Draco asked.

Before Artemis could say anything he was quickly pulled to a corner by a couple of Beaxbatons students who had been chasing him the entire day.

Luna wasn’t a fool she knew she had been stood up by this person called Rooney Plutzbol from Hufflepuff. She knew the person didn’t even exist and was just a prank played at her by a couple of Gryffindors who seemed bitter in not being able to ask Harry Potter to the ball.

But rather than sulk in a corner like most girls Luna decided to just enjoy the nicely decorated Great Hall and enjoy the food that the House Elves have probably worked so hard to prepare. She knew she will have to make a large donation at SPEW tomorrow but that will be if she remembers where she had put her money in the first place.

She was busy slicing her pork chops when the Gryffindor girls she assumed played the prank went behind her “Well what do we have here silly old Looney thought she’d scored a date with an actual sane person” one of the girls laughed.

“Now who would want to waste their time with a weirdo like her I wonder,” said the other girl “They would be under some charm to want to do that”

Luna looked at the girls “You two girls seem to be lost”

“Us lost?” the two girls laughed “You’ve lost your mind!”

“Oh no my mind is right where it needs to be” the blonde smiled “It’s kept in a safe place protected by Hyposnipes”

The two girls just laughed “She doesn’t know when to stop now doesn’t she?”

“I pity her father having to deal with such a problem child,” the other girl said.

At the mention of this Luna frowned and stood up “Well I need to check the bathroom for Supperflips, they tend to eat lipstick from girl’s mouths”

“Well took you long enough to leave” the Gryffindor laughed “You need to know your place”

Luna just bowed and headed out of the packed Great Hall, people had started dancing already but she didn’t seem to mind it. She’d rather dance by the light of the moon anyway.

She was skipping down the seemingly empty halls when she heard the sound of French girls.

“Now Artemis!” said one student who looked like a Veela “I only asked for one dance”

Luna stopped her skipping and saw that there were three students, one from Beaxbatons, one from Slytherin and one from Ravenclaw cornering the famous Artemis Fowl to a dance.

“This isn’t a proper way to ask of a dance” Artemis was trying to look calm but Luna could tell he was holding himself from striking a spell at the three girls. She has heard of the famous Fowl many times from her fellow Housemates, she knew of the little group that would take away his thrown notes and post it in some giant journal of memorabilia from him placed in the corner of their common room.

Luna had told this fact to Ginny before but the Gryffindor wouldn’t believe her saying it was just too odd.

“Well you were just playing too hard to get,” said the Slytherin girl. “You went missing the entire day”

“I knew I shouldn’t have come” Artemis muttered under his breath.

“Oh Artemis there you are” Luna’s voice surprised the four as they all turned to her, “I thought the Nargles took you away”

The Ravenclaw raised a brow “Luna? I thought you were stood up by a Hufflepuff”

Luna tilted her head “A Hufflepuff? Oh yes well he decided to go run off chasing the Boltshackles in the dungeons I’m looking for Salveo Weed to help him attract some”

“Now you’re just making up nonsense again” the Slytherin girl crossed her arms “Like I doubt Artemis would give his time of day for a Looney girl like you”

The French girl waved her hand at Luna “Shoo you pesky girl go chase those invisible monsters you love”

“I wish all of you would stop being disrespectful to my date” Artemis suddenly spoke which made all the girls stare at him in shock.

The first person to speak was the Slytherin “Da... .date? You’re date?”

“You have impaired hearing I see” Artemis crossed his arms “I repeat please stop being disrespectful to my date”

The Ravenclaw that wasn’t Luna almost choked “Wait so you . . . you’re with her?”

“Well yes, she seems to hold a better conversation that the three of you combined” Artemis went over to Luna who didn’t seem to mind the death glares being given to her.

The Beaxbaton student grit her teeth “So you rather go for her?”

“Yes as I have said before” Artemis then went down on his knee took Luna’s hand and kissed it “Now I apologize for being distracted”

“Well, nothing wrong with following the singing of the Veela” Luna smiled.

“Is she trying to mess with me?” the Beaxbaton clenched her fist.

“Shall we go?” Luna said “The pudding might run cold”

“Lead the way” Artemis stood up and they left the three girls who could not believe what had just transpired.

“Oh, there he is!” Theodore stood up from his seat as soon as he saw Artemis enter the Great Hall.

“That better be him and not another chair!” Blaise had spent the entire night hunting for their dates and when they had finally found them they were too tired to dance.

Draco took a sip of his drink “Hmm . . . he seems to be with someone”

“So he finally sucked up and choose one” Blaise waved his hat “Well that’s a relief who did he pick? I hope it’s the Veela girl”

“Umm . . . it’s a Ravenclaw” Theodore said.

“Well he always preferred brains” Pansy nodded but she almost jumped when Artemis and his date reached the table “WHAT ON EARTH?!”

Artemis had enough of women screaming for one evening and he found it ironic that the only reason he attended the ball was to avoid the screaming lecture of his mother. “Pansy please we’re all tired”

“You choose Looney Lovegood of all people!” Pansy was dramatically waving her arms.

Draco for some reason seemed to find the situation amusing “Well I didn’t realize you had a thing for eccentrics”

“DRACO THIS IS NO LAUGHING MATTER!” Pansy yelled, “Your best man has lost his mind!”

“Anyone would lose their mind if they were to become the best man of your wedding” Blaise commented, “But seriously Artemis how did you end up with her?”

Artemis sighed pulling a seat for his ‘date’ “It’s a long story”

“Does anyone know if they served pudding yet?” Luna asked as she sat.

Theodore just lifted the menu “Umm . . . I think you just summon the pudding”

“AND YOU’RE NOW TALKING ABOUT PUDDING!”*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a somewhat re visioned version of a one-shot series I did in fanfiction.net. It was originally supposed to be 50 one-shots revolving around Artemis Fowl and Luna Lovegood's partnership/relationship based on a word prompt. Since its COVID and the new Artemis Fowl movie came (didn't even bother finishing the trailer) I decided to re-do this series. Some will just be fixing some typos I did here and there and others just redoing the whole thing entirely. So happy hunting.


	2. Slumber

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited some grammatical errors and some conversation.

The following morning the talks in the Great Hall were about the Granger & Krum and the second task, but there was another piece of gossip that brought a lot of people talking.

“ARTEMIS FOWL AND LOONEY???” Lavender Brown wailed making anyone near her look at her.

Parvati covered her mouth “Not so loud” she sighed.

“It’s just . . .” the girl was speechless “When did this happen? I didn’t see those two the entire evening!”

“You were in the restroom when they started dancing” the Indian explained “They turned more heads than Krum and Granger”

Overhearing the conversation Ron snorted “Apparently Fowl has lost his mind”

Hermione smacked him “Ron! I’m sure he has an explanation for asking such a . . . girl”

“See!” Ron pointed “Even you think she’s mad!”

“Soo . . .” Lavender leaned forward “Did your sister say anything else?”

Parvati tapped her chin “Well when Luna was trying to comfort her on her bad dates . . .” she turned an eye over to Ron and Harry “Luna tried cheering her up with how she spent her evening with the Slytherins”

Again Ron butted in “Hopefully she infects them with her madness”

“Ron, knock it off!” Hermione groaned.

“We can hear your conversation from here!” Draco yelled from their table and the Gryffindors turned.

Ron yelled back “Well good to see you still have your head with ya”

“Weasley even you can’t handle my brain capacity” Draco smirked.

This made him very mad “Why you!”

“Ron! Sit down!” Hermione said pulling him down.

Harry sighed “Well where’s Fowl? I have to . . . consult him on something”

“Oh, he needs a cleansing of that girl’s influence that’s what” Pansy butted into the conversation.

“If there’s a person who needs proper cleansing that would be you,” Artemis said coming to the Hall and sitting down with his House “And if you continue yelling incoherencies with the other House please do so when I’m far from shouting range”

The Gryffindors then went quiet and back to whispering while the Slytherins looked at their resident genius.

“So . . .” Pansy spoke, “Care to explain what happened the previous night?”

“He did explain what happened last night,” Blaise said raising his glass of pumpkin juice “You just didn’t accept the explanation”

“Well, he chooses her out of a Veela!” Pansy waved her arms “Artemis, I know you don’t care about these kinds of matters but that is just showing borderline insanity”

The Irish boy picked up his utensils “I was taking the lesser evil, if I were to go with the self-proclaimed Veela, yes that wasn’t Miss Delacour, we would spend the evening having a vein conversation on her appearance. If I went for the Drashna, the Ravenclaw, she would start sniffing me inappropriately and probably take a lock of my hair while dancing.”

Draco cringed “Ravenclaws seem to be more avid fangirls than Hufflepuffs”

“And why didn’t you pick Shawcross?” Pansy asked “She’s a decent witch”

“Wait, Shawcross?” Theodore swallowed his ostrich eggs “Wasn’t she the one who gave you the brownies with some love potion in them?”

Blaise laughed “Fowl is such a ladies man”

“Zabini watch your words” Artemis glared “I am not in a good mood this morning”

Draco took a closer look at his friend “You haven’t slept much last night have you?”

“When you’ve got family business to monitor, patents to create and a megalomaniac dark wizard to look up” Artemis ate his pork chops “Sleep is just a bother”

“You are never going to find a woman at this rate Artemis!” Pansy crossed her arms and sighed “You are pre-occupied in too many things”

“Isn’t it a bit too early to think about things like that?” Theodore spoke “I mean we’re just fourteen”

“It is never too early to find love!” Pansy stood up. “Once Cupid’s arrow hits you there is no turning back from it, it is destiny that must be sought out for till the very end!”

Theodore blinked “I think she’s read too much on that muggle book regarding glowing vampires . . . umm, what the title was again?”

“Something probably by Violet Tsirblou” Blaise smiled and Artemis almost choked on his drink.

In the middle of Potions when Snape was outside resolving some urgent matter Ginny went near Luna and nudged her.

“Why didn’t you tell me your date was Artemis Fowl?” the redhead whispered.

Luna just concentrated on stirring her cauldron “He wasn’t initially my date, he just had trouble with Vexenbetes”

Ginny raised her brow “Vexenbetes?”

“Oh they’re like incubuses who crave insomniacs” Luna lifted her rod “Now where did I put that rabbit’s tail”

“I don’t think its rabbit’s tail,” Ginny said “So . . . how was your evening with him, I hear he’s harsher than Malfroy only more composed”

Luna tapped his chin with the rod “He seems like a fine gentleman to me, he simply has a lot to worry about” she then frowned “And I think Nargles are messing with his sleep as well”

The younger Weasley nodded at this new information, though they claim Luna to be a crazy girl with a wild imagination Ginny saw that it was just her way of expressing her thoughts, she knew that underneath her wonder was a very observant and intelligent mind. There was a reason she was a Ravenclaw after all.

So sometimes it saddened Ginny whenever people around her call Luna a crazy loon, even her brothers would tell her to step away from her. But Ginny had never met a person who was so understanding and level headed who ignored the taunts around her and just went on her merry way, and for that she respected Luna greatly.

So she was not quite surprised when she saw her dancing with Hogwarts brightest mind Artemis Fowl. 

“I still can’t believe she danced with Fowl,” said a couple of Ravenclaw girls in front of them.

“I know,” said the shorter of the two with red, long hair pulled back to reveal a bony, sad face “She probably did some dark spell on him or something, there’s no way that he would dance with someone so beneath him”

Ginny was about to say something when Luna accidentally dipped the rabbit’s foot in the cauldron causing the concoction to turn to a very dangerous green. “Luna . . . that doesn’t look like the right color”

“Oh, it was the Chippersnappers who made me drop it” Luna then raised a rod which was in fact her wand. All of a sudden green smoke floated from the cauldron making Luna and Ginny step back. The smoke then went for the Ravenclaws in front of them and engulfed the girls.

Everyone in the room stopped whatever they were doing and were looking at the commotion that was going on. Ginny had a very worried look on her face as she didn’t know if the smoke was poisonous while Luna was more confused as to why her stirring rod looked like her wand. Luckily a someone had some sense to try and open the windows to let the smoke out.

The smoke cleared out as soon as Snape entered the classroom and what he saw were two Ravenclaw students who were now covered in warts.

“It looks like you placed rabbit’s foot in your cauldron” the potions teacher sneered “And I expected your House to be more cautious”

“WE WERE!” the redheaded Ravenclaw screamed “IT WAS HER!” she pointed at Luna.

“Yes,” the other girl, a blonde with bulging grey eyes, nodded “She heard us talk about her dancing with Fowl and she did . . . this” she looked at her now disgusting hands.

“15 points off Ravenclaw” Snape crossed his arms “And 5 points off Gryffindor for not stopping this from happening”

The Gryffindors groaned but they knew if they said anything more points would be deducted.

“You two go to Madam Pomfrey after class” the man then went to Luna “And you Miss Lovegood . . .”

The girl just looked at him blinking her eyes in wonder that Snape was somewhat taken aback.

“. . . You are to have detention later this evening”

Ginny gasped “But professor! It was just an accident! You know how Luna sometimes mistakes ingredients”

“Which is why she needs to learn Miss Weasley” the potions master lowered his gaze on the youngest Weasley “Unless you would like to join her”

“An evening in the dungeons” Luna smiled as if she wasn’t given any form of punishment “Well that sounds nice”

“The prefect’s bathroom?” Harry asked as Artemis explained to him how he would be able to get a clue from the egg. For years now Harry has been taking advice from the Irish youth for his survival, he didn’t know why a Slytherin like him would help him and Artemis had told him not to question it if he wanted to stay alive. 

They were currently in the library that evening as Harry managed to find Artemis who seemed to be busy doing his Transfiguration assignment. “It’s quiet and there’s no one there to disturb you” Artemis explained. “You’ll need to be underwater to hear their message clearly and I doubt the lake is an ideal choice for that”

Harry nodded “I guess I’ll try that . . . maybe this Thursday” 

“Good luck then” Artemis opened a book that was written in a language Harry could not understand “And remember don’t tell anyone I’m helping you, rumors are going around that Bagman has bets on you”

“I understand” and with that the boy who lived left.

Artemis sighed; it was becoming more and more difficult to ensure the safety of Harry Potter as the years gone by. It was from this that Artemis assumed that the Dark Lord was getting stronger and sooner or later the man was to finally make a public appearance.

He normally wouldn’t have a care about a matter such as this but prophecies were simply unbreakable and it did not help that he was not only prophesied by wizards by also by faeries. 

And as he thought of it he did not want to be under the control of some snake.

“I need to contact Butler,” he said rubbing his forehead, he hasn’t properly slept in the past three days and it had gone to the point that he passed out in History of Magic classes. Not that he would miss anything since he had a first-hand experience of goblin rebellions. 

He had cleaned up his desk and left the library going for his quarters. He was busy thinking of ways to monitor Gringots shares when he stumbled on something and ended up falling down the stairs. Artemis landed face-first and dropped his wand in the process.

The ‘something’ that he had tripped stood up “Oh dear, Artemis”

He did not need to look up to know whose voice that belonged to “Lovegood”

Luna skipped down the stairs “I’m sorry about that are you hurt?”

He managed to lift his face from the floor and he could also feel the warm liquid flowing from his forehead.

“Let me fix that” Luna raised her wand and did a healing charm on his forehead after a few moments the gash on his forehead was gone. 

Artemis stood up and touched his forehead “What were you doing there?” he pointed his nose towards the staircase.

“Oh Nargles took my earrings and threw them at the stairs” she explained “I was only picking them up”

The Irish yawned he had no time to discuss Nargles with this girl “I best be off, there are some things I need to take care off”

“Don’t forget your wand” Luna pointed at where it landed earlier.

As Artemis was picking up his wand he noticed something “You’re not wearing shoes again”

“You know Occlumency” the blonde pointed at his wand, Silver Lime, Thunderbird Tail Feather 8 inches “I presume Legilimency as well”

He placed his wand under his robes “You wanted to see my wand?”

“I half suspected you to have Acacia or Elder” she smiled “But you would be quite unlucky if you did”

“Luck or not” Artemis stared at her “Your belongings always get stolen”

Luna stared up the ceiling “The Nargles like hanging them as a guard against evil spirits”

He looked up and saw a pair of shoes tied up against the banister “Even the evil spirits have nothing on cursed serpents and pixies” he then raised his wand to levitate her shoes from the ceiling and bring them to the floor.

“You didn’t have to do that,” she said.

“I don’t want you tripping any more people just trying to get them down” he checked his watch which told him it was a quarter past eight. 

“You should go find a Hyponosnipe, they give relaxing ointments that help sleep” Luna bent down and tied the laces of her shoes to her hand “Your mind isn’t going to run forever”

He paused for a moment “I’ll take note of that” he wondered why he had been humoring her this whole time.

Now that her shoes were tied to both hands she stood up “Your mind is your greatest weapon, any infliction no matter how small can damage it greatly and you will be rendered powerless to your enemies” she then did a curtsy “Good evening Mr. Fowl”

“Good evening Miss Lovegood” he stood there for a moment as he watched the girl skipping up the stairs as though she were a little fairy going back home. He shook his head before heading for his quarters “I really need to sleep” 

When Artemis reached the common room Blaise and Theodore were playing some card game and Draco was reading a book about Alchemy. The blond looked up from his book “Is it two in the morning already?”

“Huh?” Theodore checked the grandfather clock “Artemis you’re quite early”

“I’m going to bed,” Artemis said heading for the rooms.

Blaise rolled his eyes “Finally remembered you’re human just like the rest of us”

Draco closed his book “Who convinced you?”

“A Hypnosnipe” the Irish boy answered before leaving his friends who were staring at him.


	3. Wine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some changes may differ from original fanfiction publication.

Blaise stared at the empty parchment “I’m all out of creative ways to kill people” he couldn’t believe it was possible but he did.

They were currently at the Slytherin common room, Theodore was looking up ways to withstand an Imperius Curse as Moody was in the mood of inflicting it on unsuspecting students as of the late. Artemis was doing his Charms homework while looking up merpeople. 

“Did you try staring at Moody’s fake eye?” Theodore offered after closing a book entitled _75 Ways to Get out of Tricky Spells_ : _The Death Volume._

“Tried that one last week” Blaise leaned back against the sofa “Hey Artemis could you ask that Butler of yours for ideas”

“You already used up the list he sent you about pencils?” Artemis raised a brow.

Blaise brought out a piece of paper “Well it lasted me for three assignments”

“Maybe this will help you clear your mind” Draco entered the room and placed a bottle of Berry Ocky Rot on the table Artemis was using.

“Where did you get this?” Artemis stared at the blond with an unimpressed expression on his face. “At least get one of finer quality”

“Oh made a little deal with one of the elves” Draco winked “Apparently they don’t mind me taking a bit off Dumbledore’s collection”

Theodore stood up “I’m going to get glasses then”

“Don’t you think they’ll notice us drinking?” Artemis looked around there were three first years and one-fifth year also in the room.

“Well the first years will be scared of us older people, and that one dude will be scared of unauthorized authority” Blaise patted Artemis’ back “Just one cold glance would do”

The boy rolled his eyes “I’m not going to partake in this” he pointed at Blaise “Him high on Butterbeer is quite enough”

“In my defense that one Gryffindor had it coming” Blaise crossed his arms.

“You were dueling a stool,” Artemis said “And you thought Hagrid was Cho Chang”

Draco snickered at that memory “You were quite dignified there”

“I’ve got the glasses!” Theodore said coming with four champagne flutes.

“Theodore!” Blaise jumped off the couch “New plan! Make Draco and Artemis as drunk as Dumbledore was on Christmas!”

“Blaise quiet down” Artemis hissed “Can’t you just drink in the rooms?”

“He’s got a point” Theodore turned around “Ok to the rooms”

“Hey, I think I have an even better idea” Draco suggested with a smirk “I mean you tend to wonder”

Artemis glared “Leave me out of this”

Both Blaise and Draco exchanged mischievous smiles “You grab his legs” Blaise said “I grab his arms”

Luna was roaming around classrooms after someone had yet again stolen her shoes while she was sleeping. She didn’t really mind having to go around the castle at night seeing as she liked the eerie feeling of empty hallways and dimly lit classrooms.

She had just finished inspecting another classroom when she saw someone running around the hallways doing the same thing she was doing. The girl got a bit curious and went behind the boy which she could tell was from Slytherin judging by his uniform “Can I help you?” she asked.

The dark-skinned boy jumped and almost tripped, he held his chest “Looney” he panted.

Despite being quite dark Luna could tell the boy was Blaise Zabini “Are you hunting for Killofangs?”

“Killo . . . no” Blaise shook his head “Have you seen Fowl?”

This perked the girl’s interest “Has something happened to him?”

At this Blaise seemed uncomfortable “Well . . . it’s kind of . . . well yes, he’s . . . well not himself”

“So he’s another person then?” Luna cocked her head.

Blaise snapped his fingers “Exactly he’s a completely different person . . . like he’s . . .”

“I FOUND ORION!” Theodore’s yell could be heard from down the hall.

Blaise quickly ran out the classroom “LOCK THE ROOM THEN!” he ran towards where Theodore was.

Luna followed the Slytherin wondering who this ‘Orion’ person was when she came to the classroom she saw the sight of Theodore Nott sitting on top of Artemis Fowl’s back.

“Ok that’s it no werewolf hunting,” Blaise said scolding Artemis.

‘Artemis’ replied with a pout and almost immediately Luna knew there was something amiss.

“Things always backfire whenever we mess with Artemis,” Theodore said struggling to keep whoever this person was. 

Immediately ‘Artemis’ stopped struggling out of Theodore and replied with an almost soft and casual tone a far cry from Artemis’ usual Transylvanian aristocratic accent “Well he did tend to be right all the time”

Luna entered the room and bent over to look at Orion “Hello” she said.

At this Orion gave a warm smile which again was unsettling to see on Artemis’ face “Well good evening Miss Lovegood, my you do look quite enchanting with the reflection of the moon in your face quite like a little goddess”

Theodore and Blaise stared at Orion incredulously “Is . . . he flirting with her?” Blaise pointed.

Luna just blinked “Why . . . thank you?”

Orion continued “I don’t see why people label you as a freak if anything you are an angel sent from the heaven enlightening us with the beautiful sound of your voice”

Theodore’s jaw dropped “Is this Artemis? Are you sure this is just alcohol he’s under?”

The Artemis look-a-like sighed “For the last time I am not Artemis, I am Orion, we are completely different people you see I’m much more fun than that boring scientist who does nothing but banking and other dark spells in his spare time”

Luna turned to the two boys “When did Orion appear?”

“Well Draco and I wanted to see what would happen with Artemis drunk” Blaise explained “So we tied him up and made Theodore make him drink two bottles of Berry Ocky Rot”

“I now regret everything” Theodore sighed.

“Would you mind letting him stand up?” Luna asked “I would like to have a proper conversation with him”

“And risk him running off looking for werewolves?” Blaise deadpanned.

Orion raised his hand “Oh no I won’t be leaving this room, as long as I have the company of this young beauty I am quite satisfied”

“I’m starting to miss Artemis’ glares, they’re more comforting that this” Theodore shook his head.

Not wanting to witness anymore of Orion’s flirting the two Slytherins decided to wait outside of the classroom leaving Luna and the Fowl ‘twin’ alone.

“So . . . Orion” Luna said sitting on one of the desks “How do you know me?”

“Through Artemis” the boy twirled around in a pirouette “I see everything Artemis sees, I’m just this tiny person stuck in his head that wants to come out and take control because as you know Arty can be a bit of a control freak”

Luna nodded, she wondered how related were Orion and Artemis’ physical prowess “Well that’s interesting”

“Believe it or not he finds you quite interesting as well” Orion bent over in an arabesque penchée pose and grabbed her hand and pressed his lips on her fingers “Unlike me who’s quite enchanted by you”

“What do you plan to achieve from taking over Artemis?” she asked ignoring Orion’s attempts to flirt with her.

“Well several things really” he stood up straight but didn’t let go of her hand “I’m going to make the world forget about that boring old businessman and welcome the new and improved me” Orion the pulled her towards him “But first I must ask you out on an evening of dinner”

The blonde hummed trying to hide her discomfort “Well that would sound nice. . . ”

“Nothing beats the sound of your voice” Orion then tried to touch her face only for her to push away.

“Though I would rather have a debate with Artemis regarding Aquavirus Maggots and their therapeutic benefits” Luna was walking away trying to put a distance between him and her she turned her head slightly to face him “As nice as you are it just wouldn’t be the same wouldn’t it?”

Orion looked into her eyes and there was something off about his stare, while a few moments ago he was trying to put on a warm and friendly vibe his eyes gave off something very . . . dark “Artemis is a fool, letting go of a girl like you for science and gold.”

“He never had me” Luna turned around and readied her wand behind her “I never had him”

“Which is why I want you for myself” he smirked before charging for her

The girl raised her wand but before she could say a spell Orion had already knocked it out of her hand. He then grabbed both her arms, Luna tried to fight back but unlike before where his hold was gentle this was an iron grip.

“I may not be as smart as old Arty” he said backing her up against the wall “But I am stronger than him”

Luna looked at him and for the first time there was fear in her eyes “What do you want with me?”

“I want to take something” his face was now mere inches away from hers “Something Artemis would never have”

Luna closed her eyes, she should have done the ceremonial Letin dance before this.

“Orion!” the door opened and a large Eurasian man entered with a gun Draco right behind him.

“Stand back!” the bodyguard then fired what seemed to be a gun right at Orion but instead of killing him he had stunned him.

“Dammit, Butler” the boy writhed in pain.

Draco crossed his arms “You know we could have just stunned him if you said so”

The large man went over Orion “We don’t want to risk magic at this point, it might give power to Orion to take over Artemis, he had a hard time recovering from this last time”

Theodore noticed Luna’s almost pale face “Are you alright Lovegood?”

Luna looked at Butler stun Orion once again and despite what had happened to her earlier she couldn’t help but wince and turn away “I’m . . . mostly fine”

“Well, even I would be spooked at Orion showing affection to me” Blaise cringed.

Draco sighed “Let’s just stun him again for good measure, come on Fowl I know you’re still there”

The next morning during Care for Magical Creatures Pansy was as per usual screaming at the Blasted Skewts. 

“It’s becoming annoying!” the girl yelled.

“Not so loud” Theodore tried to silence the girl, right after the whole fiasco the boys returned to their quarters only to realize that it was already morning.

“Well I ever . . .” she paused when she saw Artemis leaning over a tree wearing sunglasses and looking quite paler than usual “What’s going on with him?”

Hermione also noticed Artemis' weird state “Artemis, are you alright?” she asked.

The boy just raised a palm “I’m fine, just tell Parkinson to shut up”

“My, you’ve been quite rude all morning!” Pansy crossed her arms “You’ve hardly eaten breakfast, you hardly listen when we talk to you and you’re now telling me to shut up”

Draco groaned “Would you just zip your mouth, don’t make me hex you”

“Draco. . .” her mouth was then covered by Blaise’s palm.

“Pansy we’re tired and everyone now thinks you’re a pain” he yawned.

Harry noticed the exchange “Aren’t the Slytherins being a bit crankier today?”

“Hmm . . . Fowl” Hagrid went closer to the student and immediately noticed a familiar scent “Have you been drinking?”

Artemis lowered his glasses revealing bloodshot eyes “I don’t want to talk about it” he said his voice turning very dry and croaky as though he had become a Basilisk.

While normal people would have just stepped back and keep a 100 meter radius away from the Slytherin the professor found the predicament slightly amusing “Well you’re in luck boy” Hagrid gestured to “I happen to have a lil pick me up made of Aconite, Mandrakes and Coconut milk that would just do the trick”

Artemis gave a the professor a look before pushing back his sunglasses “We have a deal”


	4. Shelter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited grammar and the ending

It was the aftermath of the Second Task and Ron Weasley had taken a liking to retell the story of his experience being dragged by the merpeople, even if the story wasn’t as accurate as of that of the actual events. He had gathered a group around him in the Great Hall and was doing animated actions of how he presumably fought fifty heavily armed merpeople.

One of the people who were listening in was Padma Patil who all of a sudden had taken an interest in the youngest male Weasley. And since she didn’t want to look alone while going over to the Gryffindor tables she had brought along Luna as some form of moral support.

“Ron, that was quite brave of you” Padma blinked her long lashes. Her behavior was far from the evening of the Yule Ball where she ranted to Luna on how terrible her date was and how she would never bat an eye for Ronald Weasley ever again.

Luna was just enjoying her breakfast pudding, it had been a couple of days since that incident with Orion and she had gotten over the incident quite quickly. She wasn’t scared of Artemis because she knew that it wasn’t ‘he’ who did it; it was that foolish Orion person.

She had noticed that Artemis had been trying to avoid her for the past few days. The last time she saw him it was at the Detention Chamber where she was serving her detention with Professor Snape (this time it was for making a potion that burned off people’s eyebrows). The professor had an urgent meeting and assigned Fowl to watch over her and a first-year Hufflepuff student. The whole time he didn’t even look at her as he was concentrated on an animagi book that he disguised as a Herbology book. The only time he did look up was when one of the beakers broke when Luna rubbed it the wrong way.

“Luna . . . are you listening?” Luna woke up from her reverie when Padma shook her.

The blonde blinked and noticed that most of the people who were formerly listening to Ron’s story were now looking at her including Ron himself “Is something on my face?” she asked.

“YOU WERE HAVING NIGHTLY RENDEZVOUS WITH ARTEMIS FOWL?” Padma yelled, she wouldn’t usually yell but Luna didn’t seem to be listening earlier when she was using her normal tone.

At this Luna became even more confused “Nightly?”

“This is outrageous!” Hermione threw her borrowed copy of Teen Witch “You people don’t honestly believe the rubbish from this lowly form of media!”

Ron replied “You’re just mad that Looney’s getting more attention for her relationship with Fowl than your love triangle with Harry and Krum”

Luna took the discarded copy Hermione threw and saw an article written by Rita Skeeter “The Fall of the Fowl Empire: Looney Lovegood” she read on the article on how it described she and Artemis having nightly dates and how she secretly took advantage of Artemis lack of social acceptance as she would sneak into the Fowl family fortune, only to revealed by Artemis’ hidden twin brother Orion.

“I didn’t know Fowl had a twin brother,” said Lavender Brown who was with the other Patil twin “You and your sister could have double dates with them”

Luna placed the magazine down “What wild imagination this Rita person has” though to be honest her writing could use a bit more work she mused.

“DIE YOU LUNATIC!” said one Ravenclaw who suddenly tried to put a hex on Luna only for her to dodge the spell easily.

“This is outrageous!” Hermione, despite not exactly liking ‘Looney’ couldn’t help but feel sorry for her she probably didn’t even know what the hell was going on. “You can’t just attack her like that!”

That was when a howler was dropped in front of Hermione signifying the start of many death threats she would receive for trying to play with Harry Potter’s heart.

Other girls were already surrounding Luna “How dare you to do such a thing!” if she recalled she was Ruth Galloway one of the girls who were affected by her warts potion a few days ago. “Artemis doesn’t deserve a snake-like you”

“I warn you Looney,” said another Ravenclaw Eileen Saltershower, a fifth-year who was one of the first to start stealing the Irishman’s notes “There’d be worst things than that howler Granger just received”

Luna just cocked her head “I assume your howlers would be more musically coordinated”

“Why you . . .” before Eileen could do anything she was pushed aside by no other than Artemis Fowl.

“Come with me,” he said as he dragged Luna away from the crowd and the Ravenclaws just starred in shock wondering if that action confirmed their relationship.

After looking around for a place to hide they ended up in front of the Ravenclaw staircase which surprisingly was empty, but just in case Artemis had his Invisibility Cloak prepared.

“It’s nice to see you Artemis,” Luna said in her usual dreamy manner.

Artemis, on the other hand, was panting and covered in sweat, he seriously couldn’t still run 100 meters without collapsing. “Like . . . *pant* . . . likewise”

Luna chuckled at his expense “You’d be quite an asset to the Slytherin Quiddich team”

The Irish teen looked up at her “I see you have a sense of humor bestowed upon you Lovegood”

“Wit beyond measure is man’s greatest treasure” she recited with a smile.

After a few moments, Artemis finally recovered and stood up straight “Does your father know about this?”

She tapped her chin “Well I’m not sure, I only found out of this just a few moments ago” she looked at him “And you?”

“Malfroy slapped that hogwash publication right at my face” he groaned remembering how he woke up “I am going to ruin that Skeeter woman”

Luna had a thoughtful look on her face “She seems to be a good spy to find out what had transpired that night”

“She can’t be using a spell” Artemis pondered “The wards of this castle are quite old so I could tell if someone had used some sort of tracking or surveillance charm”

“Because you seem to set up your own surveillance” Luna played with her Diriglible plum-shaped earrings “Her spies may also not be a spell, could be a student or an elf”

Artemis frowned “Or it could be she was right in that room with us”

Her blue eyes brightened “Now tell me how she could do that”

“From what I can see” Artemis smirked “It’s very illegal”

It was Herbology when Artemis relayed his theory to his friends regarding Rita Skeeter.

“An animagus?” Theodore rubbed his chin “Well that could explain a lot of things”

Blaise was quite impressed “For a reporter she’s quite a resourceful one, who would have thought”

“Well I’ve thought of it and I’m planning to use this piece of information to my advantage” Artemis smirked.

Draco sighed “Something tells me this involves more than just simple blackmail”

The Irish teen snorted “After all she’s done, she should have had it coming”

“So . . .” Blaise tried to change the topic “Did you . . . I mean Orion . . . try to make a pass on Lovegood?”

At this Draco couldn’t help but laugh.

Artemis just gave the dark-skinned boy one stone-hard glare that was effective enough that one Gryffindor who just so happened to be in eye level with them hid behind his desk in fear. 

“Geez Fowl” Blaise raised his palms “I’m just trying to make conversation”

“Umm . . . so” Theodore tried to change the topic “Got any more predictions to make for divination class?”

It had been quite a circus for Luna Lovegood as the day went on. Someone had stolen her Lion hat from her dorm, on her way to Charms class a Slytherin had tried to put a spell on her that would make her skirt rise and stay that way only for it to hit Ginny Weasley instead, Luna managed to reverse the spell while Ginny tried to hunt for the girl. While during lunch someone had spiked her pumpkin juice with a potion that transformed your head into that of an animal every thirty minutes, as of now she was a panda and she quite enjoyed it to be honest.

“This is ridiculous!” Ginny said bringing her friend to Madam Pomfrey “I thought Hermione was having it hard after someone placed bubotuber pus on her and now we have this”

Luna was currently enjoying how fluffy she felt “My this creature is quite soft”

“Well at least so far you’ve been transformed into cute animals” Ginny sighed “And from what I learned in Muggle Studies you’re a panda”

The Panda-Luna turned to her “Could you please pet me?”

The redhead stepped back “What?!”

“I’m just a bit curious” so far she had transformed into a cat, an owl, and a puppy.

“Umm . . .” Ginny had been trying to restrain herself from doing so especially when she was a kitty. “I don’t know Luna”

“Do it before I transform again” Luna rubbed her now fluffy cheeks unto Ginny’s and by now she could not resist”

“Alright” Ginny raised her hand and placed it upon Luna’s panda head once she felt how soft it was she couldn’t help but find it very addicting.

It was too bad she was disturbed by the Slytherins “What on earth?” Blaise gasped at the scene.

Theodore’s eyes widened “Is that a . . . she looks . . . so fluffy”

“I must admit whoever did . . . . I’m impressed” Draco nodded.

Ginny quickly took back her hand and placed it behind her blushing madly “What are you doing here?”

“Well, we heard what happened to dear Loone...Luna” Blaise corrected himself before he got stunned by Artemis again “While we were in Potions and we decided to come to take a look”

Artemis sighed “I believe I may have somewhat brought this upon you”

“Brought it!” Ginny marched towards him “She’s been having quite a day already! Did you know someone tried a levitating charm on her to lift her skirt!?”

Theodore cocked his head “I thought it was your skirt that stayed stuck up?”

The young Weasley’s face was as red as her hair “Well since I’m her only friend, of course, I’d be sucked into this mess for standing up for her!”

“Guys . . .” Blaise was pointing at something.

Artemis looked at the girl “Again I apologize but the actions of my so-called admirers are beyond my control”

“Guys . . .” Blaise was tugging Artemis’ robe.

“THEN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!” Ginny yelled.

“Listen here Weasley girl” Draco stepped between his friend and the Gryffindor “You have no right to do that, he already said he didn’t know anything like this would happen so would you mind and keep your mouth trap shut for a while”

“Or what you’ll tell your father on me?” Ginny lifted her chin.

“PEOPLE LOOK!” Blaise yelled.

Theodore sighed “Blaise you’ve been yelling . . .” he then looked at what he had been staring at “Oh...Merlin”

Everyone then turned to see what Blaise was referring to and what they saw was a headless Luna Lovegood.

The group was silent for a while and Luna cocked her head (if they could see it) “Is there something wrong?”

“What . . . your head” Ginny blinked “It’s gone!”

“It’s still there you stupid girl!” Draco pointed.

“Malfroy if you’re trying to look all-mighty here please pass me the memo because I can’t see anything!” Blaise went over to Luna and tried to wave his hand “You can’t see . . .” Luna said an “ow” when Blaise hit her.

“Artemis are you telling me she’s a . . .” Theodore looked at the Irish boy.

“Thestral” Artemis rubbed his forehead “We better get you in quickly, she might turn into a Basilisk soon and that would be deadly for all of us”

Ginny gulped having remembered her moment with those creatures “Yes, we should”

“I quite enjoyed that last prank,” Luna said after Madam Pomfrey managed to cure her using some sort of tea.

“Well it did look quite fun” Theodore pondered “I wonder if it could work on pets”

Ginny then asked “So why couldn’t Zabini and I see Luna’s head and you three could” she referred to Artemis, Theodore, and Draco.

Luna’s eyes twinkled “Only people who have seen death can see Threstrals”

At this Ginny’s eyes widened “Wait does that mean... .?”

“No comment Weasley” Draco scowled.

“I’d like to have a word with Miss Lovegood” Artemis cleared his throat “Alone”

“That would just add more things to the gossip ring” Draco smirked. “Are you sure Skeeter isn’t somewhere in this room?”

“Don’t worry, the moment she steps into this castle would be her death, I assure you” Artemis gave out a yawn again.

Luna cocked her head “Some sort of invention of yours that spreads some bug poison?”

“What on earth are you talking about?” Ginny looked quite confused.

“I think we should escort you to class” Theodore clapped his hands.

Ginny looked slightly appalled at the idea “I don’t need you to escort me”

“Suit yourself then,” Blaise said waving his hand at Fowl “Now don’t have too much fun alone”

“You have one minute before I fill your body with boils” Artemis threatened.

As soon as their friends had left Luna took a closer look at Irish boy “It’s not your fault you know”

“I know” he let out a sigh “But I’ll still take responsibility”

At this Luna raised a brow “And what would that entail?”

“I have my ways”

The girl pressed her face close enough to his face that their faces were mere inches apart “You don’t need to do that, I’ve dealt with them for years”

Keeping a straight face “What if some idiot accidentally sends you poison?”

“Now, don’t be silly” she chuckled at the thought “The Sassajaco will warn me for sure if that were to happen”

Artemis took a deep breath “Just let me deal with them”

“Are you sure you’re not just wasting your time?” she played with her dirigible plum earrings “You’ve got more important things to do than play babysitter with me”

“I have no clue as to why” he placed his hands on his pockets “But I don’t feel like I am wasting anything”

At this a little smile formed on her face “What am I some sort of investment?” she joked.

This made the younger Fowl turn slightly red “Nothing of that sort”

“Well then since you insist” she stood on her toes and gave him a soft peck on the cheek “I shall be in your care then” she then skipped along out of the clinic not minding that she didn’t have her shoes again.

Artemis stood still for a moment before he shook his head and muttered “D’arvit”

Outside of the hospital ward as soon as Luna was far enough she had stopped skipping and immediately covered her mouth with her hands as she felt her face get slightly warm “What did I just... .?” she turned to the hospital wing he had already left but she could still imagine his figure standing there “No it was the Nargles” she whispered. 


	5. Green

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited some grammatical errors

Pansy Parkinson was stumped. Why didn’t Draco answer to her advances? She had done everything: showering him with affection, dolled herself to look pretty for him, even stunning all the other girls around him just so she could reduce the competition.

She had come to the nearest bathroom in tears after Draco had finally decided to declare unto the entire student body that he will never in his life date a girl like her, even if he were ordered by Voldemort himself. He had called her ugly, a despicable human being, and a shame to ever have an association with.

There were several times Draco had denied her affections but this was a whole new level, tears were still streaming down her cheeks as she remembered the verbal bashing she had just received.

From outside her cubicle, she could a couple of girls whispering about her, some would laugh while others would say how she deserved it.

So this is what it felt to be on the other end, she thought. For years she had spent her schooldays teasing and making a living hell for her fellow female year-mates and those below her, she had done cruel pranks that made you pee all the way back to your room. She had lived for spreading torture among the other girls because it was the only way she could be accepted.

When she was a first-year, the moment she declared that she was to marry Draco Malfroy in the future, people had started treating her as some joke. She was the punchline that made Draco cringe, she was that girl who people would say clearly had no common sense; she was the one who held the torch for fangirling in her year level.

She had been ridiculed by everyone, she had been waiting for Draco to defend her, to tell her that it was alright and ignore the taunts being placed on her and all those things that would make her feel better about herself.

She had nothing from that.

Sure now they could consider themselves friends now, but that was mainly because she’d been tailing him for four years now, and his friends were telling him it was quite a pity.

She didn’t want to be a pity; that was why she became a bully.

And there was only one person who was able to see through her act.

Artemis Fowl.

Since he was already an expert psychologist by the age of nine, it was no surprise that the genius knew that everything Pansy did was a defense mechanism. He knew that inside the cruel, loud-mouthed girl who clutched unto Draco for dear life (that itself was a hint actually) was an insecure little girl.

He knew that her parents were simply pressuring her to get into the Malfroy family, despite the fact that they themselves knew that their daughter wasn’t exactly a looker. Her older cousins would always tell her she was ugly and that the only reason people would marry her was out of the convenience of her family.

Artemis knew all of this a few minutes from meeting her.

The first time he had told her this she felt violated, she felt that she was just some organism he analyzed on a microscope. It was like being judged only to find out that their judgment about you was right.

Despite this though Artemis had never given this bit of information to Draco, which she assumed he would since they almost talked about everything. A part of her was grateful because at least Draco wouldn’t be nice to her because he felt sorry for her, but another part wished he would because one way or another Draco might give her the affection she oh so wished for.

Then one day early this year, it wasn’t Draco Malfroy anymore whom she yearned for, it was for that blue-eyed Irish genius who everyone feared. She did not know what had made her jump from one iconic Slytherin to another but she assumed it was because Fowl was nicer to her.

He would apologize sometimes when Draco went too far with her; he would begrudgingly assist her in potions so she wouldn’t make her cauldron explode, and he would pretend to listen to her rants about how Draco wouldn’t notice her.

But even if she acknowledged the fact that she was now falling in love with Artemis Fowl, she knew he was a lost cost. The boy was bound for greatness; he had the brains, the money, and the power. He was someone who the Ministry feared and sometimes even Dumbledore would grow weary of him.

Now, what would a girl like Pansy do to be able to keep up with him? She hardly understood the things he said, even if he ‘downed’ his language. He never really paid attention to most girls, heck even Granger tried to flirt with him (in her own Hermione-like way) and he still didn’t get the memo. Or maybe he did but just chose to ignore it because as he had always said before, relationships were beneath him. This was why she just placed her affections for old Arty to Draco. 

If there was one girl whose guts she hated right now, it wasn’t Granger surprisingly. No, it was a certain Ravenclaw who spent her time chasing those Narwal creatures she calls and reading that blasted Quibbler magazine.

She had hated the girl the moment she laid eyes on her. Just seeing her in the halls talking about this and that creature, while she wore garbage for jewelry was an eyesore in itself. But the fact that she didn’t seem to have a care in the world, and the fact that she never retaliated at all, it was just something that irked Pansy.

She was a lunatic, which was why she dubbed the girl Looney and everyone had caught on with the name. But despite the teasing, the stealing, and all other forms of bullying, Luna didn’t care. She had never cried to the bathroom, she had never used a spell directly in anger and she never said anything bad about her tormentors.

Luna actually had a friend contrary to popular belief, and it seemed that friend was even more than the gang Pansy has gathered over the years. Whenever Luna was pushed or someone had snatched her things right in front of Ginny Weasley, the redhead would make sure the perpetrator would pay for it. It would sometimes get the young girl in trouble but according to her, it was friendship above everything else.

It was a common Gryffindor trait; Pansy would tell herself whenever she wondered why her friends didn’t defend her like that. Even Longbottom despite the fact that he was also a moving target to be picked on, would also take a hit for Luna when necessary.

But if there was one thing that she hated the most out of Looney, it was how she one way or another caught Artemis’ attention.

When she saw him as his date for the Yule Ball she was more than pissed, it was a hard slap to her face. How could a lowly freak like her beat her? What did she have that Pansy didn’t? Sure Artemis would later tell him he had no other choice, but he did seem to enjoy himself during that one dance they had.

She calmed herself the next day, telling herself it was just a one-time thing. He would forget that Ravenclaw and things would go back to normal.

Only it didn’t. When that Teen Witch issue came out she was ready to burn the magazine right in her hands (if she could that is, that would require wandless magic, which sadly she was not adapted to). She had hoped it was just some gossip from Rita Skeeter like how Granger had some love triangle with Krum and Potter.

It was enjoyable that Looney received a wave of torture from the angry admirers Artemis had, she had even done a trick of her own by slipping that potion into Luna’s pumpkin juice that turned her into an animal. But the next day the pranks, the teasing, and the bullying had come to an abrupt end.

Artemis had ordered Crabbe and Goyle to ensure that anyone who had ever tried to give Miss Lovegood a hard time would answer to him personally; there were some that tried thinking it was a bluff, only for them to sleep later that night with serpents and rats.

By now no ever dared try to defy Artemis’ authority, even Rita Skeeter seemed to have laid low after that article. There were rumors circulating that he had blackmailed the woman and she was now hiding somewhere in Germany, some said that he had her arrested and she was now in Azkaban, and there was that one rumor where she got some mental disease that led her to St. Mungo’s.

But there was one thing for sure, never cross with Artemis Fowl the Second.

“Hello?” a voice broke Pansy from her thoughts. She didn’t know how long she had been crying in the toilet but it seemed to be quite a while when she realized how stiff her bum was.

“Are you alright there?” the dreamy voice spoke again, and Pansy knew who this person was.

Pansy grit her teeth “Go away Looney”

“I knew you were in here” the girl replied didn’t seem offended, as always. “Your friends are looking for you”

At this Pansy snorted. “And who would that be?”

Luna cocked her head “Shouldn’t you know who your friends are?”

“And shouldn’t you know to mind your own business!?” Pansy yelled back.

There was a silence and Pansy assumed she had left. She then huffed and stood up from her seat and went out of the cubicle, but as soon as she opened the door Looney was right there.

The blonde had a handkerchief offering it to her “You still have water in your eyes; the water sprites might attack you, they eat tears you see”

Pansy just stared at the girl right into her grey eyes, just trying to see what the girl wanted from her, but she could see nothing but actual genuine concern. “What do you want from me?”

Still offering her handkerchief “A cleaner face?” Luna replied.

At once Pansy went for the mirror and saw that not only were her eyes stuffy from tears but mucus had actually been running from her nose. “Ewww!” she quickly turned on the tab of the sink and washed her face and grabbed the handkerchief from Luna and wiped her face.

“That’s better” Luna did a smile.

Pansy looked back at the girl “There was no friend of mine that asked you to come here, wasn’t there?”

Luna kept her dreamy expression “Then I’ll pretend to be one if you’d like”

“I’d rather not” Pansy turned back to the mirror “Unbelievable, I come here crying from the worst moment of my life, and the only person who came was a crazy loon”

The Ravenclaw hummed “There is a muggle saying, ‘Misery loves company’”

“How can you be miserable?” Pansy stepped away from the mirror and faced her “All your tormentors stopped ever since you’ve been under Artemis’ watch!”

Luna gave her a little smile, though it away it seems sad “Well for once people fear me for a different reason, Artemis has his reasons and I find it very sweet of him, but he has to understand that there are some things that are better left alone.”

Pansy crossed her arms “If you ask him to stop people will start stealing your things again”

“Well though it is quite an inconvenience sometimes” Luna admitted “Looking for them around the castle is quite fun, it gives me a reason to have a nightly adventure”

The Slytherin didn’t know what to say to that “Don’t you have any class?”

“I believe its Sunday today” Luna tapped her chin “Oh yes, they say that Laparoses come to every full moon on a Sunday by the lake” the girl did a little curtsy “Excuse me”

Pansy watched the retreating figure, she then looked at the handkerchief she was given; it was sky-blue in color and had the design of a crescent moon on the corners. “You are one strange girl Luna Lovegood” she crumpled the handkerchief "I wish I were you". 


	6. Amnesty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is probably the first rewrite of this series. Completely different from the original one as I thought this was a little more fitting to the title.

Ginny felt uncomfortable.

Sure living with a family composed of seven children with multiple personalities and the fact that her father worked in the ministry made Ginny learn to adapt to different types of people. She knew when to flash a smile or when to just hide her irritation in order to make sure that things will go ‘smoothly’ in the end.

Due to her trying to put on the ‘meek daughter’ charade at home as soon as she was in school her bottled emotions would sometimes implode resulting in some of her year-mates avoiding her because she was just too ‘emotional’ or ‘dramatic’.

This was probably one of the reasons why she and Luna got along so well. Luna wasn’t someone who would judge you right away. She was the type of a person if given the opportunity would spend the whole day with you before giving a verdict on what she thought of you. In fact, one of Luna’s greatest traits was the fact that she was a very good listener. She wouldn’t interrupt you, she would interject only when needed, and no matter how useless or dumb your rants would be she would always make you feel like you didn’t waste her time.

While this was a trait that wasn’t known by the masses it was a trait that had made the girl obtain a unique set of . . . acquaintances. This was especially true when referring to her association with the Slytherins, especially a certain group. While most people in her year would shiver in fear of being in the same hall as Draco Malfroy Luna would have no problem bumping into him and asking the boy for quail eggs to complete her Blibbering Humdinger trap.

Despite this though when Luna had called her up to the library for a study session with a friend she really didn’t expect said ‘friend’ to be no other than Pansy Parkinson.

“Luna” the redhead whispered to her friend hiding her face with a large volume of Legendary and Fabled Creatures: Special Edition vol. 7 “Are you . . . sure about her?”

The Ravenclaw was busy looking over old versions of the Daily Prophet and some other magazine that seemed to be in French “Well yes she is slightly older but I think she still has some knowledge to bestow”

Ginny paused for a moment before replying “I’m referring to Parkinson”

“Ohhhh” Luna nodded as if in sudden realization “Well you see she’s actually quite lonely”

Ginny turned to the Slytherin who was glaring at a couple of younger Gryffindors “She seems to want to be alone”

“What you see is not always the truth,” Luna said flipping over a couple of pages on the French magazine before stopping on a page “Hmm . . . I wonder if they would mind if I ripped a page. It is for educational purposes after all”

“I don’t think they would allow that” Ginny replied.

“Hmm maybe if no one is looking” Luna mused.

At this Pansy noticed the Ravenclaw “What on earth are you doing Looney?”

“Oh it’s research for Dabberblimp breeding” Luna pointed at the page “According to this article their eggs have been used in several beauty products in France and some parts in Europe”

“What is it with you are made-up creatures?” Pansy asked.

At this Ginny dropped her giant volume which created a loud thud “Listen here . . .”

“Oh like you seriously believe that those Dapper creatures actually exist,” Pansy said with a sneer.

“Whether or not I believe in it doesn’t mean I have to be rude about it” Ginny replied back with a glare.

At this, the Slytherin chuckled “Of course you lot know when to suck up to people to get what you want”

The youngest Weasley snorted “Like you of all people don’t do that yourself”

This made Pansy’s face turn a shade of red “Don’t you dare compare yourself to me” she pointed a finger at her “I come from a pureblood family and you’re just a bunch of parasites sucking up to the Ministry”

“That’s it!” Ginny slammed stood up and slammed her hands on the table at this point there were a couple of students already looking at them “Enough of being polite!” she grabbed Pansy by her robes “I’ve been trying to play nice but you’re seriously crossing the line!”

“You know she is right somewhat”

Both Ginny and Pansy turned to the blonde girl.

“Who?” both girls asked. 

Luna placed a finger on her chin “You two are similar in some ways”

Pansy removed Ginny’s hands from the collar of her robes “Now what non-sense are you . . .”

“Well I could be wrong though” Luna cocked her head “I mean in the end it’s the connections we make that matters”

Ginny let out a sigh “Look I don’t know what you two bonded over . . .”

“We never bonded” Pansy sat down “If anything Looney just picked me up from the streets like I was some abandoned cat”

“I wouldn’t say abandoned” Luna interjected “More like . . . ran away”

At this Ginny snorted “What did Draco kick you out of the group?”

Pansy clenched her jaw “I wasn’t part of the group, to begin with” she then gathered her things “Now excuse me because I’d rather not associate myself with a peasant and a lunatic”

After she left Ginny let out a sigh and sat down her chair “I honestly don’t know what her problem is”

Luna looked at Pansy’s retreating figure with a somewhat glum expression “She’s lost”

Ginny turned to her friend with a raised brow “Lost?”

“You see she . . . isn’t very good with people”

“I’ll say” Ginny crossed her arms “She’s nothing but a spoiled brat who thinks just because she’s some rich pureblood she’s better than everyone”

Luna’s gaze shifted to the ceiling “You haven’t seen when Draco embarrassed her in front of everyone at Great Hall?”

Ginny frowned “Draco isn’t that much better than her”

“Yes he does have a temper” Luna stood up “But it just seems wrong to see someone kick an already beaten horse”

The redhead gave her a confused look.

“When you transform one object into another say to turn a quill into a clock it requires knowing various variables like the structure of the object and the object you are to transform it into, your wand power and many other things” she brought out her wand and tapped her quill and immediately turned into a small wooden cuckoo clock “Sure if you describe the whole process it seems quite difficult and confusing but once you actually try it, it becomes second nature”

Ginny pursed her lips “What does this have to do with Pansy?”

Luna tapped her wand on her forehead “Hmm . . . maybe I should have worded it better” she gave her friend an apologetic smile “Sorry for troubling you”

She was definitely better off alone. Friends? Who needed friends? They were just a bunch of useless annoying people who were going to leave her anyway. She was better off alone. People didn’t like her anyway, not the boy and not even the girls. She was really better off alone. Her own family doesn’t even like her so why even bother with a bunch of strangers? Being alone was better. It’s easier to make people hate her because no one would ever like her anyway. She’s just gonna be alone.

“Why do you keep following me!?” Pansy angrily turned around to see no other than Looney Lovegood trailing behind her.

Luna stopped skipping and turned around “Are the Nargles following you too?”

Pansy stomped her foot “Enough of that Nargle business!”

The girl turned back to her “Well I can’t say I didn’t warn you”

She let out a sigh “Why are you such a pest?”

“Maybe it’s just something that comes to me naturally”

The Slytherin girl just sighed “Aren’t you tired?”

She coked her head “The library isn’t that far?”

“Why do you keep trying to be nice to me?!” Pansy yelled, “Like all I’ve been doing to you is insult you, make fun of you, and I dunno if Fowl told you but I was the one who made the damn potion that transformed your head!”

“Oh . . .” Luna nodded as though she had just been told this “You must be very good at potions then”

“Urgh!” Pansy growled before sitting on the floor and covering her head with her hands “Why can’t you just hex me or try to beat me up like Weasley?!”

“I don’t think Ginny is a ‘beat-up’ sort of person,” Luna said before approaching Pansy and squatting across her “Do you want me to become angry at you?”

The Slytherin quietly answered “Yes . . .”

“Well . . .” Luna frowned “I can’t say I know how to be angry. I have been angry before” she continued “I can try to be angry but I don’t think I’m a very good actress and even if I was you probably don’t want that either”

Pansy just remained silent.

Luna looked at the girl, it was as though she were those creatures she saw in muggle studies that turned into a ball when they see predators approaching. Luna didn’t think she could be a predator but this defense tactic might not be directed at her specifically.

“Sometimes I wish I were you” Pansy muttered.

At this Luna smiled “You want to be a lunatic who chases imaginary creatures?”

“At least I’d have imaginary creatures who’d comfort me” Pansy lifted up her head tears were now flowing from her face “At least I’d have a friend who would fight for me . . . at least I’d have parents who despite being dirt poor would actually care for me . . .”

“You really are self-centered”

Both girls turned to see Ginny had also followed the out of the library.

“Ginny . . .” Luna tried to stop her.

“Just because your parents are terrible people doesn’t mean you have to terrible as well!” Ginny went over to the two girls, it was a good thing there weren’t many people in the corridor.

Pansy removed Luna’s hand on her head “It’s not that easy . . .”

“I know it’s not!” Ginny clenched her fists “You come here to Hogwarts thinking that you can change whatever you were at home only to realize that it’s not what you expect and suddenly the whole world thinks you’re just some pitiful brat” she continued “I don’t know what you got going on with your life and I don’t think I’ll ever understand you purebloods in general but I know that if you actually put effort you can actually change for the better. Look you probably aren’t even that bad of a person so if you could just stop pushing people away then maybe you’d have a friend. I’m not saying you would have but it’s better to actually try than just wallowing in one corner and feeling sorry about yourself.”

There was silence after Ginny’s rant and after a few moments a cough was heard and the redhead’s face turned crimson “I just started rambling didn’t I?”

“Yeah you did” Pansy stood up “And your point was really all over the place”

Ginny’s face turned even redder “Well sorry for trying to motivate you!”

“Thanks”

“You know you rea . . .” Ginny stopped in her mid-rant “What?”

“Look Weasley I don’t want to repeat myself” Pansy’s lip trembled, “I said thank you”

Ginny blinked in confusion “Umm . . . I guess. . . . You’re welcome?” this was probably the first time a Slytherin was thanking her.

“I mean your motivational speech was kinda crappy” she raised her chin “But it did kinda make me feel better for some reason”

Luna looked at the two girls and couldn’t help but laugh “Now I know why I said you two were similar”

“That doesn’t mean I’m gonna stop insulting your family . . .” Pansy met Ginny’s gaze “I mean . . . your brother is just too easy of a target”

Ginny just smiled “Yeah, I can’t argue with that”

“Would be so kind as to get the parchments I left at the library?” Luna asked the two girls “Also hide the magazine, I actually ripped three pages off Femme épaisse”

“Seriously?” Pansy sighed and marched to the library “Looks like we have to hide her property damage”

“Oh right and I haven’t finished my Care for Magical Creatures homework!” Ginny’s face turned pale.

“Were you looking up the lifecycle of a unicorn?” Pansy asked.

“Yes” Ginny replied “For some reason, I couldn’t find a single book about it, it just described what they were and that’s it”

Pansy sighed “Hurry up then I’ll lend you my notes from last year, I still have it in my trunk”

“Well thanks” Ginny seemed really grateful.

Pansy grumbled something about not telling the other Gryffindors what she did as they went back to the library.

Once Luna was sure the two girls were gone she turned to the window at the end of the hall “You can come out now”

“How can she?”

“It’s probably because she heard you cough Potter,” Artemis said removing his invisibility cloak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Didn't want this to focus too much on plot but more on what goes on behind the . . . plot? So those who read the previous version this will probably go through some major changes.


	7. Blaze

“So you guys got any chocolate from your folks?” Blaise said as he opened some elegantly wrapped boxes from his mother.

Theodore was sitting crossed legged on his bed “Father was never a fan of the holiday, too old fashioned?” he said giving off a low awkward laugh.

Blaise raised a brow before turning to his other friends “Let me guess stuff starting happening with your parents?”

“Father has been . . .” Draco licked his lips “Been sort of . . . moody this summer. And he was never one to bother with such . . . trivial holiday”

“Well, I’m sure he must be fun at parties” Blaise closed his trunk.

Draco decided to ignore Blaise’s comment and turned to Artemis who was also seating on his bed working on something on his magically run laptop “I assume you’re not a fan of sweets?” 

“I can appreciate them but I can also live without them,” Artemis said not looking up from his laptop “Also mother has never celebrated the holiday and I don’t think it would be fitting to start now”

Blaise looked around at his friends “Am I the only one here who grew up with a somewhat normal childhood?” 

Luna had also decided on staying in the castle for the holidays, this was because her father seemed to be busy these days and he didn’t want to disturb his work. She also had some overdue Arithmancy and Potions homework to get through and she needed some extra help on the latter subject.

As Professor Snape specifically said that if she were to set something on fire again she would repeat the year.

This was why she was at the Slytherin dungeons asking for a certain Irish wizard for some tutoring, or a fireproof charm whichever comes first. 

That was when she spotted Pansy who upon seeing the Ravenclaw rolled her eyes “You looking for Fowl?”

“Nice to see you too” Luna gave the older girl her signature dreamy smile.

The Slytherin crossed her arms and looked away “You could have just owled him you know”

“Well my owl at the moment doesn’t have a sense of direction” Luna tapped her chin “Always ends up going near Professor Hagrid’s hut for some reason”

“Of course you have a broken owl” Pansy grumbled “Wait here I’ll get him for you”

“Wait a moment!” Luna then gave the girl a small satchel “It’s from Ginny”

At this Pansy’s cheeks turned slightly red “What . . . is that a smoke bomb?”

“I don’t think so” the blonde cocked her head “I believe they’re toffee eggs”

The girl looked at the bag “Why would she give me anything?”

“She said it was a thank you for the Care for Magical Creatures help” Luna still had the bad out-stretched.

“But how sure are we that he’s already . . .” Draco paused upon seeing the two girls “Lovegood?” he then saw the item Luna was handing over “Did Pansy blackmail you”

Immediately this made the said girl turn red “Mind you own business Malfroy” she then grabbed the satchel from Luna then grumbled something before storming off leaving all four of them to look at her retreating figure.

They were quiet for a moment until Theodore spoke “So . . .” he turned to Draco “You two still haven’t made up?”

At this Draco growled “That’s not any of my concern”

Upon hearing, Luna did a small frown “That’s not very nice”

Before Draco could insult her Artemis quickly changed the topic “Did you need something?”

“Ah yes” the girl clapped her soft hands “I was hoping you could assist me in a little problem I have”

“So things are most combustible with pure oxygen” Luna nodded and the table with several beakers was lit on fire “That’s good to know”

“Well its basic chemistry” Artemis had his nose and mouth covered by a handkerchief and raised his wand with his other hand “Which sadly most wizards are not taught”

Luna cocked head “The colors look quite pretty though,” she said as the burning blaze turned from a shade of blue to a shade of green then to yellow “They remind me of Fuego Bailarenas, they’re tiny sprites that are attracted to flames and they dance around causing them to change color”

They were currently in the Room of Requirement for Luna’s lesson, the boys had decided to leave Artemis alone with her, and judging by the fire that was going on he couldn’t blame them. 

“Sadly they usually die if they can’t find any more flames” Luna continued her musings “But before they die they lay eggs and when they eventually die the younglings will hatch and they will eat the corpse of their mother for food”

Artemis ignored her rather disturbing descriptions “Nitrum!” he cast and a white smoke erupted from his wand and went over to the burning fire.

The colorful flames were now covered by a white fog that was surrounding the table which after a few moments the fire had been put out leaving a burnt table and broken beakers.

“A simple Aguamenti wouldn’t suffice?” Luna asked. 

“There might be chemicals in those vials” he put his wand back under his robes “It’s better to be safe, I’m not sure how much damage the room could hold before it leaks out”

“That is true” at this Luna brought out her wand which she used to pull a broom and a dustpan and started to clean the aftermath.

“Exactly what potion were you trying to make” Artemis swore he saw her put live maggots into her cauldron a few moments ago.

“It was supposed to be some form of porridge” Luna then took out a parchment that looked like it had seen better days and that was on the verge of falling apart “Then again maybe I should have translated it beforehand”

Artemis went over and looked at the parchment and immediately his eyes widened.

It was written in Gnommish.

“Where did you get this?”

“My mother has a large collection of journals and books” she explained “This was in a collection labeled ‘foreign recipes’, according to my father there was a porridge or soup that he liked but he doesn’t remember what it was called”

“It’s foreign” Artemis read through the parchment “This is a recipe of some sort of supplement for newly born centaurs” 

At this Luna looked him with surprise “You can read this language?”

“I . . .” he felt slightly uncomfortable with her large silvery eyes staring into him like a mist trying to suck out something “Stumbled upon the language while researching Ancient Runes”

The girl cocked her head “Is that so?” she looked at the parchment again “If I recall there were other pages that had similar inscriptions, as a child I thought they were just pretty designs”

“You managed to get maggots right” Artemis raised a brow “Though you have misinterpreted the temperature for boiling”

“Oh, that explains it” her eyes gleamed “Why don’t I try again?”

It was already night time when the two had finished up their ‘experiments’ and they were currently walking towards Ravenclaw tower.

“You didn’t have to escort me,” Luna said as she was skipping a few steps ahead of the Slytherin “You already have Crabbe and Goyle doing that” 

“From what I heard they’re not doing a very good job” he had his hands on his pockets “Also it’s a nice evening” 

She spun around “That it is” she then paused when they reached the Ravenclaw staircase “Oh yes I almost forgot, could you please wait for a moment” 

Artemis watched the girl skip up the stairs and he couldn’t help but remember that scene from Giselle where she dances with the witches. What did bother him though was how on earth Luna’s mother got her hands on pages from The Book. As far as he knew the closest things to fairies for wizards were house-elves.

“Sorry for taking so long,” Luna said coming down the stairs carrying what seemed to be a medium-sized green box with the Honeydukes logo in gold lining.

“Is this for Pansy?” 

“No, it’s for you” she extended the box to him.

He wasn’t sure how to react so he just accepted the box “This looks different from the ones in the train”

“They’re from the exclusive line” Luna shrugged “I saw a couple of Beauxbatons girls asking elves for these”

Still being unsure “Umm . . .”

“Don’t worry” she smiled “These aren’t acid pops”

At the mention of this, his face went slightly pink before opening the box and seeing a vast assortment of Liquorice Wands.

“They’re not eggs per se but they seem to suit your style,” she said with twinkling eyes “Happy Easter,” she said before turning back to her dorm.

“Wait” he closed the box “May I ask what your mother did for a living?”

Luna stopped her skipping and turned to him with a melancholic smile “She was just a good witch” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late chapter. Suddenly got piled up at work after the long pandemic. Also had a really hard time thinking of what to write in general.


	8. Buckle

For as long as that Harry has ever known of the infamous Slytherin Irishman, this was probably the first time that he had been truly frightened by the person.

Even before he had entered Hogwarts Harry had heard of the Fowl family. He would see the name a few times on the papers his uncle would read, and the old man would grumble about how hardworking Englishmen like himself were being bought by ‘potato farmers’. It was only when he went to Hogwarts that he had heard from Hermione about the Fowl’s ‘underground’ businesses.

At first, he wanted to avoid all Slytherins by all costs (mostly because of Malfroy) which by default included Fowl. Though even before Fowl was inducted to Salazar’s house there was just something about him that felt almost . . . sinister. Almost all his year mates and even a couple of seniors couldn’t help but be intimidated by him. Some people say it was his aura or the way he talked or even looked at people that rubbed them off the wrong way.

But for Harry the one thing that made him uneasy about Artemis Fowl the Second was this: his secrets.

It wasn’t just the fact that he was way more advanced in academics or wizardry in general. If he was just a smart person, he would have been in Ravenclaw. No, it was the way he used his knowledge that was scary. Fowl tended to know about things, things you might have kept secret, things that you may not know about yourself. And Merlin knows what he does with that information.

This whole thing of Fowl giving him ‘tips’ started when the Chamber of Secrets was opened, and everyone was placing the blame on both him and Fowl. While Harry felt uncomfortable with the accusations Fowl was still the same who didn’t care about appearances and wanted to solve the whole debacle as though it were an . . . inconvenience.

That was another thing that sort of ticked off Harry the wrong way, it was as though all the life-threatening events that happened to him were all but mere minor things that got in his way. And while that made Fowl come off as annoying and condescending at times but if there was one thing that he had learned dealing with Fowl it was this:

He was usually right.

Even if his methods were downright illegal.

“Is tying me up necessary?” Harry asked as he was bound by vines to a chair. They were in an empty classroom in the dungeons and it was shortly after dinner.

“I don’t want you subconsciously hitting me while I enter your mind,” Artemis said nonchalantly.

Harry looked up at him “Is this going to hurt?"

“That would depend on you” Harry was then met with Artemis’ eyes which in a way reminded him of Hedwig’s for some reason but instead of vibrant yellow he was meet with deep cool blue eyes.

“Legilimens”

Almost instantly Harry could feel flashes of his memories play like moving photographs flicking through a photo album at full speed. Some images were blurrier than others. The last image he could see was the time he looked at Dumbledore’s Pensieve. By the time, the whole thing was over Harry found himself on the floor of the classroom gasping for breath.

Artemis looked at the Gryffindor with an unreadable expression on his face “Well looks like we still have a long to go”

The following week Luna had just finished Charms and had just stepped out of the classroom when out of nowhere Hermione Granger pulled her aside.

“I need to ask you something” the brunette had an intense look in her eyes.

“Hermione what are you doing?” Ron called out from the crowd that was shuffling towards the classroom.

The girl turned to her housemate “You go on ahead, it’ll only take a moment” she said before dragging Luna to a less crowded side the corridor. Once she was sure that no one would overhear their conversation she continued “Is Artemis teaching Harry Occlumency?”

Luna cocked her head “Why are you asking me this?”

“I have no one else to ask”

“Did Harry not tell you?”

This made the girl’s cheeks turn slightly red and she looked away “He . . . wouldn’t say”

Luna observed the girl “Maybe the Nargles are bothering him”

“Do you know where they practice?” Hermione asked ignoring what Luna just said “I could follow Harry but he or Artemis would probably know I was following them”

“Why is this bothering you so much?” Luna asked.

Again Hermione’s cheeks went red “It’s not bothering me”

“Don’t you trust Harry?”

She spun her head quickly “Of course I do . . . it’s just sometimes he does things . . .”

“So it’s Artemis who you don’t trust?”

“No I do . . .” the Gryffindor sighed “I highly regard his opinion”

Luna cocked her head to the other side “You wanted to learn as well don’t you?”

Hermione held up a finger and opened her mouth to protest before she lowered it and did a small nod.

“Well I’m not surprised” Luna giggled, and it made Hermione even more embarrassed “It is an extremely useful skill”

“I know that the only reason Artemis did this in the first place was because of what happened recently” she did a small frown “It’s just that I find it frustrating that he’s had all this skills and knowledge that we don’t even learn in class and he doesn’t mind sharing it”

Luna nodded in understanding.

“Like” Hermione raised her hands “Yes for the past two years we’ve had decent teachers in Defense but is what the curriculum they’re providing beneficiary to the current situation? Some lessons are outdated, and I am not talking about Muggle Studies”

“Weren’t the Defense handbooks enough?” Luna asked referring to the supplementary books Artemis and co. started distributing during Lockhart’s tenure as a DADA professor.

“Is it wrong to want to know more?” Hermione sighed.

“It is somewhat greedy”

Hermione blew out her cheeks “I know but you don’t . . .”

“Or this is for something else?” Luna pondered.

“What do you mean?”

“Are you worried Artemis might find out a secret Harry knows about you?”

Hermione’s face was now as red as the Weasleys’ hair.

“So how are the lessons with Potter?” Theodore asked while they were in the common room on a Thursday night.

“Probably saw fantasies of himself winning the tournament” Draco clapped his hands “Ah yes once again Harry Potter has saved the year from destruction!”

Theodore was on the floor with Blaise doing their Divination homework “Now that I think we seem to always have some sort of perilous danger looming over us every year”

“And it’s all related to Potter one way or the other” Draco groaned.

“Wasn’t Artemis a suspect during the Chamber of Secrets fiasco?” Blaise recalled “And he looked a lot like Tom Riddle too”

Ignoring Blaise’s comment Artemis’ answered Theodore’s query “Potter as a result of him being thrust into constant danger every year and due to his upbringing has shown signs of trauma”

“If I had my bedroom under a staircase, I’m fairly sure I would be scarred for life” Blaise tapped his quill on his parchment “Maybe I should make that a prediction”

“Well that must be a lot of baggage to deal with,” Theodore said pausing in his writing.

“Truly” Artemis let out a sigh “The first time I read him I almost had his entire childhood laid out for me”

“Good thing you didn’t let Draco teach him then,” Theodore said.

At this, the blond snorted “Potter is just too emotional; I’d probably read him with no trouble if I passed him by the corridor”

“Please don’t” Artemis groaned “He actually has thoughts of burning you at a stake”

Draco looked fairly insulted “Now that is just cruel”

“You’re the one who decided to be an ass on the first day” Blaise pointed out.

“He’s always been one” all the boys except Draco then all turned to see Pansy with her arms crossed.

Draco decided to ignore her and just picked up whatever book Artemis had lying around despite realizing that the book was not even written in English.

“Good evening” Theodore greeted.

Pansy gave Theodore a nod before turning to Artemis “Luna is waiting for you outside”

At this Blaise smirked “Well, you two have been awfully friendly as of late” he then looked at Draco and Pansy “Unlike you two”

“I must admit this fight you guys are having is quite awkward,” Theodore said.

“Has today become piss on Draco day?” Draco said slamming the book hard on the coffee table.

“I have no other business with you” Pansy then turned to leave.

“It’s so weird seeing her mad at you” Blaise commented “Like for three years she’s been head over heels and now she absolutely hates you”

Draco grumbled “Fowl tell your girlfriend to owl next time she calls you”

“First we don’t have that sort of relationship, I just help her in potions,” Artemis said standing up “And second we are underground, below a lake even”

“Oh, don’t mind him” Blaise waved his hand dismissively “He’s just being moody”

“Oh, bugger off” Draco stood up and jammed his hands in his front pockets before storming off the common room.

Theodore let out a sigh “I’ll deal with him later” he then whacked Blaise with the book Draco slammed.

“Ouch!” Blaise flinched “What did I do?”

Running away in your thoughts was harder than running in real-life Harry realized. It was only when he started learning Occlumency that he realized just how many things he had spiralling around his head. He had been told that he was a little too emotional of a person, but he thought that that was a Gryffindor trait. But when a dark wizard decides to invade your thoughts in your sleep maybe being emotional wasn’t a great feat after all.

He was now making defenses again. Artemis had told him that Occlumency and Legilimency was a matter of visualizing your thoughts in such a way for you to protect your mind or attack your target. And keeping close to his strengths he decided to visualize his mind as Hogwarts Castle. And as a result, Artemis’ attacks were now visualized as dragon chasing him around the school grounds.

“You’re too predictable Potter,” Artemis told him after a session.

Harry was panting seated on a chair, unlike in the previous sessions he found himself on the floor after Artemis performed Legilimency. “You said to play to my strengths”

“You do realize Voldemort most likely had the floor plan of his school at the back of his mind” Artemis handed the Gryffindor a cup.

Taking the cup and looking at it before looking at Artemis “Is this some kind of concentration potion?”

“It’s just water”

“Oh,” Harry blushed in embarrassment and drank the whole cup in one go “Am I even getting better?”

The thing with Artemis is that he didn’t give too many facial expressions making it hard to read him (he had yet to perform Legitimency on him but Harry knew that would be harder than all the tasks in the Tri-wizard Tournament).

“You’re getting there,” Artemis said eventually “I’m not expecting you to scan Voldemort’s mind, just enough so that we could plan ahead”

Harry sighed and looked at the empty cup “Wouldn’t it be easier if you did it?”

“We don’t even know if Voldemort has a body at this point” Artemis looked at the ceiling “For all, we know the only thing connecting him to the living world is your scar”

Almost immediately Harry brushed his hand over his scar “This scar is just basically a literal headache”

“You could say that”

“So did you find out anything about Crouch?” Harry said looking up.

“I may have something” Artemis crossed his arms “Still verifying it”

The mention of the said reporter made raised Harry’s curiosity “Is it true you murdered her?”

At this Artemis raised his brow “Why on earth would I kill someone for bad writing?”

Harry shrugged “I dunno, people do say a lot of things”

“Don’t worry she’s alive and sane” the Slytherin rolled his eyes “Her skills could be useful in the long-run”

“You know . . .” Harry said putting the cup on a table “Hermione has been kinda moody about me taking lessons from you”

“Ah Luna told me about that” he shrugged, “I told her to ask Draco since I’m too busy teaching you among other things”

At this Harry snorted “I doubt she’d accept”

“She actually did”

Harry almost jumped to his feet “She what?!”

“I was actually surprised as well” he plucked at the cuff of his shirt “I remember leaving the common room with him in an already bad mood and when I came back he kept grumbling about how Granger followed him all evening for asking for lessons”

“Huh” Harry really didn’t know what to say “Hopefully Krum doesn’t take it the wrong way”

“Let’s hope not” Artemis grumbled “We already have enough people hating him”

Luna had suddenly approached the Slytherin table during dinner time holding a tray of what seemed to be a blueberry cake topped with streusel topping.

“Well this is a strange surprise” Blaise commented “We already get desert”

Artemis raised a brow “What’s with this?”

“Well Hermione came over to the table and was giving these away because apparently, Krum gave her a whole cart of them” Ginny, who was behind Luna, explained.

Draco eyed the desert “Wait she gave me some awhile back during our lesson”

“Well let’s hope Krum doesn’t know about that” Theodore said taking the tray and passing it along to the other Slytherins.

“He can have her for all I care” Draco rolled his eyes “I mean don’t they teach Dark Arts in Durmstrang?”

“To a certain degree” Artemis replied drinking his cup of black tea.

“Knowing you,” Blaise said while his mouth was full “Your probably smuggled a book or two”

Theodore gave his friend a look “Why do you always stuff your mouth whenever we eat cake?” he sighed “When Artemis got a basket of pastries from a couple of Beauxbatons girls, guess who ate most of it”

“They taste so much better than the chocolates from the Ravenclaws though” Blaise swallowed his food and turned to Luna “No offense”

“Well, they tried their best” the Ravenclaw smiled.

“I wonder why they keep bothering with the chocolates,” Draco said wiping his mouth “We already know from Second Year that they put Amortentia in them”

“I know” Blaise commented “I mean it’s common knowledge Artemis doesn’t even eat sweets”

“Except licorice wands” Theodore mentioned which earned him a glare from Artemis “What, I saw you chewing on them while we were studying for Potions”

“Huh Luna does the same thing” Ginny mused “Even gets the ones on the exclusive line . . .”

“A BLIBBERING HUMDINGER!” Luna stood up and slammed her palms hard on the table “Ginny do you have any rope?”

Artemis face-palmed.

The Gryffindor looked at her in confusion “Umm . . . no . . .”

“Then I’ll have to tie the creature myself” she brought out her wand and started to run out the Great Hall.

Everyone except Artemis watched the girl exit and they could even hear her cast a binding spell, who the victim was they could not see.

The Slytherins were silent for a moment before Theodore spoke “Well . . . that’s one way to avoid a topic”


	9. Mean

“Is Harry alright?” Luna asked as soon as she spotted him.

Artemis sighed “He’s fine, but the incident shook him”

The girl nodded “I see, I’ll try to visit him later” she patted the grass next to her “Come sit with me”

It was the final day of exams and the day after the third task which resulted in the death of Cedric Diggory which affected the student body. Right before his Potions exams, Artemis received a note (from an owl that crashed on him) to meet Luna that led him to the lake.

“The Thestrals are coming out” Luna smiled as she saw the creatures roam around.

Artemis also found himself looking at the horse-like creatures “Potter will be in for a shock when he realizes what’s been pulling the carriages”

“I hope he doesn’t get too scared” Luna pulled up her legs and rested her head on her knees “They’re very nice creatures”

He looked at the young girl, her long messy blonde hair had reached the grass, she was wearing a baby blue dress with ruffles and once again her shoes were nowhere to be found.

Luna looked up to Artemis and was met with her big blue-grey eyes. They always looked so curious as though every word you said was of utmost importance. She was like a sponge ready to absorb anything you throw at her. He remembered when Butler had first seen her, he asked if she was part fairy which honestly Artemis wondered himself sometimes.

“Are the Nargles buzzing around your head?” she asked in her dreamy tone. People never really got irritated when she talked about the Nargles and the several dangerous creatures found in the Quibbler. If anything, people were usually worried somewhat, as though she were a naïve child who would believe anything.

Artemis knew that was the farthest thing from fact.

“Maybe,” the boy said before finally taking a seat on the grass and crossing his legs “Forgot to recite the nightly incantation”

“Oh, that’s not good” she gently patted his back “You should try to remember tonight”

He just nodded.

The two just sat in silence as they watched the Thestrals graze and run around the forest while the sun slowly set turning the reflection on the lake from a fiery orange to a bluish-grey.

“What did you want to talk about again?” Artemis asked after awakening from an almost trance.

“Well umm . . .” the girl tapped her chin, “I think . . . oh yes” she snapped her fingers “Pansy was in tears during lunchtime”

At this Artemis winced “So that’s what Blaise was going on about earlier”

“You weren’t there?” Luna cocked her head.

“I was checking on Potter at that time” he sighed “And I met with Cho Chang on the way out”

Luna nodded “I see, well it must be hard on her too”

“So, what did Draco do this time?”

“I couldn’t exactly make out what she was saying at the time” Luna starting drawing circles on the grass “Though if it’s like last time I’m sure it has something to do with destroying her ego in public again”

Artemis sighed “Draco isn’t in the best of moods as of late. And after what happened yesterday, summer might be a rough period for Draco”

“A lot of people still don’t believe Harry though” Luna dug a little too deep into the ground “They’re saying he’s just trying to shift the blame of Cedric’s death”

“A lot of people made a mistake that day” Artemis expression hardened slightly “Including me”

She gave him a surprised look “I don’t think that’s a fair assessment of the situation”

“Maybe” he let out a sigh.

She moved closer to him to the point that his knee could feel her leg “You are still human, don’t beat yourself up for it”

“I know, but it will bother me for a couple of days at least”

“So, what are you planning on now?”

“If wizarding politics are the same as muggle politics, probably get Potter a lawyer” he shrugged “Someone in the Ministry doesn’t like what’s going on and is going to try and put the blame on someone”

“That’s not very nice of them”

“Nothing about politics is nice”

Luna took a good look at her companion, she noted that he was slightly paler than usual, and he did not bother to hide his eye bags today. Artemis was not the normal type of attractive most people did not find him attractive at all. He was quite skinny, he had high cheekbones, he did not have muscles like Victor Krum or a boyish charm like Harry. At first glance he looked more terrifying almost as though he were some sort of vampire, he wasn’t Nosferatu, but he wasn’t exactly Lord Ruthven either, it also didn’t help that his accent was more Transylvanian than Irish.

Maybe they liked his money Luna thought, but then almost all the Slytherins had come from some old money family some more wealthy than others. Yet even the richest of them could not get a proper date to the Yule Ball. It was here that Luna concluded that maybe women just find smart men to be quite striking. His fanbase was mostly Ravenclaws and probably Granger so maybe it was that.

At this point Artemis has noticed his companion’s staring “Nargles buzzing around your head?” he smirked.

She could feel her face turn warm and there was something inside her stomach that was giving her an odd feeling “I think they’ve given me diarrhea”

Artemis brows went up “Do you want me to . . .”

“Oh no . . .” Luna paused, “I think I was mistaken”

“Are you sure you’re alright?”

The girl nodded “Just need to put some extra salts in the bath when I get home”

“I . . . see”

“Yes . . .”

It had become quiet again only slightly awkward this time and Artemis was about to suggest they head back inside for dinner.

“Well what do we have here” the two pre-teens looked to see their Care for Magical Creature Professor behind them holding what seemed to be a lamp “Didn’t think you’d be the type Fowl”

Artemis rubbed his temples “I don’t want to know what you mean by that”

Hagrid turned over to Luna “You should watch yer self-Miss Lovegood, he doesn’t do well with alcohol”

Immediately Artemis gave his professor a ‘what-the-hell’ look.

Luna gave him professor a smile “I know”

This made the half-giant chuckle “Oh you only know I’m joking Fowl” he then turned to leave “Now come on, don’t leave your food cold”

Artemis stood up and offered his hand to Luna.

For some reason, she was reminded of the events that occurred last December during the Yule Ball. She remembered him being a very considerate partner as she was sure she had stepped on his foot a few times, but he did not say anything. Also remembered him having incredibly soft hands. 

“Come on” Artemis smiled still extending out his hand “Your pudding might run cold”

“So, what is the deal between you and Fowl?” Mandy Brocklehurst asked in the middle of dinner.

Luna had a spoon in her mouth and cocked her head.

“Now that you mentioned it” Sue Li rubbed her chin “During the whole Teen Witch fiasco neither of you denied or confirmed your relationship”

“I mean they did dance during the Yule Ball” Lisa Turpin pointed out.

Padma snorted “So did Granger and Krum and so far, nothing has happened with them”

“Maybe we shouldn’t bother with whatever their relationship is”

All eyes turned to Cho Chang who had just appeared and took a seat “It’s not really for us to say” she said as she sat down.

Quickly whispers spread throughout the Ravenclaw table.

“Oh she finally got out”

“Well, of course, she needs to eat!”

“For a moment I thought she wouldn’t even get up”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Marietta Edgecombe whispered to her friend “I said I was going to bring your dinner”

Cho gave a weak smile “I just thought I needed some fresh air”

“Maybe wash your face first” Mandy commented.

“MANDY!” Sophie Roper chastised.

“What I was being honest” Mandy said looking offended.

“Would you guys give it a rest” Marietta glared at her fellow year-mates “She’s grieving for goodness sake!”

Cho placed a hand on Marietta “It’s fine, don’t worry about it” she stood up “Maybe I should wash my face first”

Marietta also stood up “Let me join you”

“No, it’s fine” the girl placed a hand on her friend’s shoulder “I won’t be long”

The Ravenclaws watched as the Seeker left and immediately glares were given to Mandy.

“Nice one girl, you made her more upset”

“Really? It’s barely been a day!”

Mandy raised her palms in defense “I was just telling her proper hygiene!” she pointed at her house-mates “You could all see how red her eyes were!”

“Where’s Luna?” Padma suddenly asked.

“Huh?” Mandy looked around the table “Oh come on, I was supposed to ask her to talk me up to Fowl if they weren’t dating”

That was when Anthony Goldstein groaned “Oh will you all lot just shut up!”

Water ran from the faucet, but Cho was stood still as she stared at her reflection. She knew what happened, Harry had told her after she asked. It was a ridiculous reason but for some reason, she believed him. In fact, before she asked, she already knew in her gut that something was wrong. She was certain.

Voldemort killed Cedric.

It was a hard pill for her to swallow. It was too much in fact. There seemed to be so many things to process and she did not know if she could.

The mere fact that Cedric was gone was already difficult to accept.

“If you’re not gonna use the sink would you move?”

Cho jumped at the sudden voice and turned around to see a younger Slytherin girl.

The girl’s expression reminded her of her uncle’s angry Shar-pei “Oh, it’s you Cho Chang” she said.

“Sorry” Cho moved away from the sink, “Some of my housemates said I needed to wash my face”

She heard the girl snort “For a bunch of brainiacs none of them seem to know how to deal with grieving people”

“It’s fine really” Cho rubbed the back of her neck “My face was slightly red”

“You shouldn’t apologize”

Cho looked up “Huh?”

The younger girl proceeded to wash her hands “When they give you crap like that, you shouldn’t apologize”

“They’re just trying to . . .”

“You’ve just lost the love of your life to a megalomaniac who’s trying to take over the world” she turned off the faucet “I’m pretty sure you have the right to be angry”

“Do I?”

Pansy faced the older girl “How much does Cedric mean to you?”

“The world!” Cho said almost too quickly that her face went red “He . . . he’s everything. When he asked me out this year, I had never felt so happy it was . . . it was like winning the World Cup” she bit her lip “But it felt ten times better”

“So you love him”

She chuckled “Of course” she shook her head “I don’t think I could love anyone else the way I loved him”

“I see” Pansy nodded before she left the bathroom “You’re lucky to have felt something like that”


	10. Compact

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some excerpts were taken from The Opal Deception.

Ginny gave a big yawn before slamming her head on the table. It was finals week and she had been trying so hard to study for History of Magic without falling asleep, it doesn’t help that it has been some running gag between the Weasley siblings that the subject was a cure to put the twins to sleep.

The redhead stared at her friend who didn’t seem to be doing any studying herself despite her house’s reputation “Why is it that I never see you study?” she asked.

Luna turned a page on the latest edition of the Quibbler, which on the front page showed the dissection of an Aquavirus Maggots and whether or not eating their core would kill you or give you unlimited knowledge. “I usually study just not around you I guess” she replied.

“Oooh, you do it with Fowl I presume” the redhead smirked.

“Well, it seems so” Luna didn’t seem to notice how her friend was teasing her “It’s always fun to hear the opinion of someone else”

“You hardly listen to Hermione’s” Ginny noted remembering how Luna had indirectly scoffed at the Gryffindor when she told his dislike of the Quibbler.

Luna scratched her nose “Hers was completely biased, she’s never really read an entire article just skims through the paragraph and make an absurd conclusion without taking in the minor details”

“So Fowl read the thing?” Ginny couldn’t imagine him going through even the weather reports without raising a brow.

“I believe he hasn’t” the blonde admitted “But he doesn’t jump to conclusions saying my father is mad”

“You seem to spend more time with him than with me” Ginny closed her book and shove it far far away from her “I’m starting to get jealous” she teased.

The Ravenclaw put her magazine down “Well I assumed you have other friends to mind than just me”

Ginny waved her hand “I know, but it seems strange that . . . you two get along so well”

“I don’t know if our relationship could be considered a friendship though,” Luna thought back to her conversation with him by the lake “I believe though that we’ve simply come together due to our intellectual loneliness” 

At this, the youngest Weasley cocked her head “You’re what?”

“Umm . . .” Luna tried to find words to explain it to her, had it been any other person she would just name it on one creature’s effect on humans, like the Nargles. But Ginny was her friend and she knew that she would be patient enough to try and understand and eventually help her. “I think we just like talking to each other” Luna simply stated.

“Doesn’t that usually start a friendship?” Ginny pondered “I mean, he did save you from all those fangirls that tried to turn you into a Basilisk”

“That was out of pure necessity” Luna replied completely forgetting her Quibbler “It was partially his fault and thus he deemed himself liable . . . responsible for me”

The redhead hummed “If I remember correctly you were blushing when you came out of the hospital wing after your talk with him”

“He surprised me” Luna replied almost too quickly “He called me Luna instead of Lovegood”

At this Ginny’s interest rose “He did?”

“Well” Luna leaned back against her seat “That one time only, now that I think of it he hardly calls me anything he just nods or signals me”

“What if he’s trying to catch your attention and you can’t see him?”

“He rings a bell” at this Ginny’s face almost looked appalled “Oh no I have a bell for him as well, though I usually just use it to mess around with him”

Ginny slowly nodded “I see . . .”

They remained silent for a while until they realized that it was late and it was now time to go to bed. The two then left the library; after Luna escorted Ginny to Gryfinddor tower the blonde took the more scenic route to her dorm.

She was passing by the Underground Chambers when she suddenly felt someone’s presence. She normally wouldn’t mind if Filch caught her because she could use the excuse that she was sleepwalking again, this time though she knew it wasn’t the squib that she sensed. 

The girl slowly walked down the hall looking for that person she knew shouldn’t be here, she looked around to see if they were hiding in the ceilings or behind the posts. Just when she assumed that it had all been her imagination and went her way.

It was here that two figures appeared from their hiding places.

“Do you think the mud girl saw us?”

The following day Blaise collapsed on the sofa in the Slytherin common room “Phew, no more Divination for another summer” 

“Just one more till we drop it” Theodore was on one of the chairs.

Draco shook his head “Your fault for not wanting to learn”

“You learn a lot of stuff from Divination!” Pansy yelled as she overheard the boy’s conversation.

“Like what? Reading tea leaves that tell you how you’ll die within ten minutes?” the platinum blond rolled his eyes.

Blaise looked at the two “Since when did you two become civil?”

Pansy snorted “You call this civil?”

“I mean you’re now making conversation”

Theodore turned to Artemis “I assumed you just breezed through the exams”

“Nothing too difficult, just tedious” Artemis was busy reading a book.

Draco looked over to the Irish teen “Still reading on Animagi?”

“You know what Fowl why do you even come to this school?” Blaise rolled his eyes “You seem to be dancing around the schoolwork anyway”

Theodore pondered “I don’t think I can see Artemis dance”

“Did you not see the Yule Ball?” Pansy said.

“Well, a waltz it like four steps” Theodore pointed out.

Artemis raised a brow “What point are you trying to make here?” 

“Yeah even if let’s say we do manage to make him move his hips now that woulda very awkward if not disturbing experience” Theodore went on ignoring Artemis “I mean Orion already doing those leaps in the hallway was very . . . eerie”

Blaise couldn’t help but chuckle when he saw Artemis’ face turn pale when Theodore mentioned about Orion leaping “Yeah, you were almost qualified to join the Ballet Club, did you even know we such a club?”

“What we do need is a club that teaches proper Defense Against the Dark Arts” Draco decided to change the topic “I mean, sure the little tutorials that we send to everyone may be a bit helpful but I do think we need a little bit more than that”

Shortly after Gilderoid Lockheart was erected the DADA professor Artemis and his group had decided to take control of their education. With that Artemis and Co. have decided to form some study groups and create some sort of training manuals for their year-mates who wanted to learn. The little thing had caught on over the years and Artemis now provided instructional manuals for almost all the years. The manuals were so good that Remus Lupin even tried to use them one time.

“You’ve got a point” Blaise teased but he stopped smiling when Draco glared at him “Ok yes we do”

Artemis closed his book “It might not be easy though, something tells me that the ministry is taking strict precautions next year, especially when two people have died this year: A Hogwarts student and an official who died in the school grounds.”

“Artemis” Theodore softly spoke, “Do you think he’s . . . come back?”

Draco’s knuckles went white and he clenched his fist.

Pansy was shaking.

Blaise had a solemn look on his face.

The Irish sighed and placed the book he had on the coffee table “There’s a very high possibility”

“Then that means . . .” Theodore looked at his shoes but his thoughts were far “All his followers are going to return to him”

Pansy went over to the boy and held his hand “It’s ok . . . I’m sure . . .” she tried to find comforting words but nothing came out as she was worried about her parents.

“Looks like summer will be a little . . . bleaker” Draco closed his eyes, he knew that one way or another his father was going to make him join the Death Eaters.

Despite having a family that was usually in the neutral Blaise still felt fear for his friend’s families “I wonder how the others must feel” 

“Some will gladly follow their parents, others want to rebel” Artemis stood up “But I’m sure most of them just want to hide and wait for it all to be over”

Theodore lifted his head “I may be one of them, consider it the cowardly thing to do but I just don’t think this war is worth anything, it’s just one big misunderstanding”

Artemis couldn’t help but agree “That’s were all wars come from, it’s a lack of communication, but it’s human nature men just really want to destroy muggle or wizard”

Draco placed a hand on Theodore’s shoulder “Don’t worry, the battle hasn’t started yet, we can still prepare” he looked at Artemis “Don’t we?”

“We do” Artemis replied before he checked his watch “Excuse me I have something to attend to”

At this Pansy rolled her eyes “Saying your last farewells to Looney?”

“I thought you were becoming friendly towards her?” Theodore asked.

“I stopped insulting her” Pansy crossed her arms.

“You just insulted her” Blaise retorted.

“Well, what do you call her?” Pansy asked.

At this, the dark-skinned wizard smiled “Mrs. Fowl” 

It was in here where Artemis hexed him by turning him into a weasel.

_ Lower Elements _

Opal Koboi’s shuttle was a concept model that had never gone into mass production. It was years ahead of anything on the market, but its skin of stealth ore and cam-foil made the cost of such a vehicle so exorbitant that even Opal Koboi couldn’t have afforded one without the government grants that had helped to pay for it.

Scant secured the prisoner into the passenger bay, while Merv piloted them across to Scotland, then underground through a mountain river in the highlands. Opal busied herself making sure that her other plan, the one involving world domination, was proceeding smoothly.

“Merv,” she barked. “How long to the theme park?”

Merv checked the instruments on the shuttle’s dashboard.

“We’ve just entered the main chute network, Miss Koboi. Five hours,” he called over his shoulder. “Perhaps less.”

Five hours, mused Opal, curling in her bucket seat like a contented cat.

She could spare five hours.

Sometime later, her hostage was stirring. Scant helped him into consciousness with a couple of jolts from a buzz baton.

“Welcome back to the land of the condemned,” said Opal. “How do you like my shuttle? Mr. Fowl”

The craft was impressive, even if it was ferrying Irish youth to his death. The seats were covered with illegally harvested fur, and the decor was plusher than your average palace. There were small entertainment hologram cubes suspended from the ceiling, in case the passengers wanted to watch a movie.

“Is that fur?” he asked.

“You’re sitting on the animals. As I told you, I am human now. And that is what humans do, skin animals for their comfort. Isn’t that right, Master Fowl?” said a girl who seemed to be a human child, her black hair was braided down her back, and she wore a checked pinafore of the type worn by a million schoolgirls around the world though her ears looked rounded. 

“Some do,” said Artemis coolly. “Not me personally.”

“Really, Artemis,” said Opal archly. “I hardly think that qualifies you for sainthood. From what I hear, you’re just as eager to exploit the People as I am.”

“Perhaps. I don’t remember.”

Opal rose from her seat and fixed herself a light salad from the buffet. “Don’t remember?”

“I don’t know”

Opal lifted her eyes from her plate. “Are you trying to do some trick on me Fowl?”

Artemis fixed her with a cool stare. “It’s not Artemis who’s putting a trick on you” and almost immediately the Irish boy transformed in front of her turning him into a girl.

“Who are you!?!” shrieked Opal, hurling her plate against the wall.

Luna smiled “Oh, just a wanderer”

Opal’s face grew white with rage. “MERV!!!”

Again her servant appeared “Yes mistress?”

At once Opal grabbed him by the collar “WHO IS THIS???!” she pointed at Luna

The pixie looked and saw a mud girl “Weren’t you supposed to be a boy?”

The girl cocked her head “Weren’t you supposed to be in the kitchens?”

“ENOUGH!” Opal dropped the pixie and she went for the blonde “Who are you and what is your relation to Artemis Fowl?”

“I told you my name is Wanderer, Wanda is my first name though” Luna smiled “And Artemis? Well, we go to the same school?”

Opal clenched her fists “I told you to be cautious” she glared at Merv who had just recovered from her earlier choking “Those mud men in there have magic! Look!” she pointed at Luna “She must have done something to fool you into thinking she was Artemis”

“It was just this” Luna waved her empty flash which formerly had polyjuice potion “I was practicing potion making and I accidentally turned into my Artemis Fowl, you see my house is very attracted to him so I won’t be surprised if they made a potion like this”

The girl turned to the wizard “Well then I’ll just have to make do with what I have”

Luna kept her dreamy look “Umm . . . did you say we were going to a theme park? I’ve never been into one is it a muggle thing?”

“Oh it is” Opal smirked “And you will enjoy it”

Artemis was busy double-checking his lab making sure that the locks were secured and even giving more security measures in case the Ministry were to mess with it. It was in here when he noticed that he had a message on his fairy laptop. 

He went over to the desk and noticed that the caller was unidentified, he had a bad feeling about it as he answered the call.

What appeared on the screen seemed to be a little girl “Well, this better be the real Artemis Fowl”

Artemis took a good look at the girl who looked perfectly human except for her ears. From the looks of it, she seemed to be in a very well-furnished shuttle. He checked the source of the signal and noted that it was coming from the underground. There could only be one conclusion as to who this was.

“Opal Koboi”

“Do you like my new look?” the former pixie smiled bobbing her hair “I decided that I needed a new makeover”

“Aren’t you supposed to be in a coma?” he checked his one screen that monitored J. Argon Clinic and saw that she was still there. 

Opal chuckled “Oh I wouldn’t worry about that if I were you, you see” she checked her nails which despite her looking like a child were as long and pointy as when she was an adult “The reason I’ve called you is because I had planned on taking you somewhere” 

“And I presume you had failed”

“It’s quite hard to find decent help these days,” she said flicking her nails “But as they say when life gives you lemons”

Artemis raised a brow not sure where she was going with this when on his screen flashed what seemed to be a security camera from a theme park. The camera then zoomed to a tiny figure who was standing on an island with an army of trolls surrounding it. 

“Luna?” 

Opal smirked at his reaction “It seems you know her”

Artemis gave the pixie a cold gaze “She has nothing to do with you” 

“Oh my” the girl rested her head on her hand “She seems to be more than a schoolmate”

“What do you want Opal?” he said calmly but right behind him, there were beakers and test tubes that were exploding.

“Well it’s a simple thing really” Opal blinked her lashes “It’s called world domination”

“I don’t think I can give that on a silver platter even I wanted to” the Irish teen retorted “Too much politics”

The girl shrugged “Well yes that too, but we can’t have everything, now while you go save Wanda, I shall be doing my plan for world domination”

“You seem to be slipping,” Artemis said “First kidnap the wrong person now you’re giving me the upper hand to stop that drilling project of yours”

At this Opal looked actually shocked “You know my drilling project?”

“Just because I go to Hogwarts doesn’t mean I don’t keep tabs with the world” he smirked.

“Then I’m sure you’re aware of the hell that has fallen upon Haven, particularly the LEP” in here she showed a video in what seemed to be Holly Short and Julius Root, Artemis eyes widened as she saw the Captain shoot her Commander. “Right now they’ve branded you as an accomplice I don’t think they’d be willing to help you out now, and from what I know about your muggle politics you don’t seem to be faring well with them either”

Even more, beakers exploded behind Artemis. 

“This time I am the architect of my fate. And of yours.” Opal smirked.

“And what is it this time?” Artemis asked mockingly. “Another orchestrated rebellion? Or perhaps a mechanical dinosaur?”

Opal’s face grew white with rage. “Is there no end to your impudence, Mud Boy? No small-scale rebellions this time. I have a grander vision. I will lead the humans to the People. When the two worlds collide, there will be a war and my adopted people will win.” And with that, the transmission ended.

Artemis closed his eyes and tried to calm himself, Opal was out again which involved humans drilling to the fairy folk thus starting a war with fairies and humans which just happened to coincide with another war involving another megalomaniac. 

Which made Artemis wonder why such brilliant minds waste their time and intellect on something so . . . vain and pointless. They didn’t take into fact that ruling the world meant they have to answer to the world’s need eventually.

But there was another thing that Artemis had to worry about. Luna was somewhere surrounded by trolls and though he knew the girl would be able to handle it, she can’t hold for long.

Artemis typed on his computer “Luna of all the foolish things you’ve had to pull off” he muttered as tried to locate her. With a few clicks, he managed to locate her in the Eleven Wonders, the temple of Artemis Exhibit, the Lower Elements. 

“That pixie” he then typed again in faster making a call. He waited for a few moments and wondered if he were to pick up.

At once the screen showed a dwarf “Well, long time no see Mudboy”

“Diggums” Artemis said “I’d like to make a proposition” 

Luna was on the small island of rotting carcasses, waiting for the trolls to finish their bridge. The creatures were frantic now, hurling rock after rock into the shallow water. Some even braved placing a toe in the currents but quickly drew them out again with horrifying howls.

She threw a troll skull at the nearest creature. The brute caught it deftly in his talons, crushing it to shards. “I should probably ask Artemis to add wandless magic to his next edition” she mused.


	11. Relief

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some excerpts were taken from The Opal Deception

The little island was shaking now. Skulls were dislodged from their perches, rolling into the water. The trolls were almost upon her, picking their way across the precarious walkway, squealing at every drop of water that landed on their fur. Any trolls still on the shoreline were hammering the earth with their knuckles, long ropes of drool swinging from their jaws.

  
Luna waited until the last moment for maximum effect. The telepod’s screen was pressed into the rubbish heap, so the approaching animals would not have a clue as to what was coming.

  
The first troll in the line reached the island. This was the pack leader. He reared up to a height of almost ten feet, shaking his shaggy head and howling at the artificial sky.

Then he appeared to notice that Luna was not, in fact, a female troll, and a savage rage took hold of his tiny brain. Dribbles of venom dropped from his tusks, and he inverted his talons for an upward slash. Trolls’ preferred kill strike was under the ribs. This popped the heart quickly and did not give the meat time to toughen.

  
More trolls crowded onto the tiny island, eager for a share in the kill or a shot at a new mate.

  
From what she remembered from one of her travels with her father, trolls hated the light if she had had her wand with her a simple Lumos would have done the trick. Sadly the strange girl named Opal had taken her wand and she was now left to her own devices, particularly with the telepod that was used to relay the said megalomaniac’s message.

  
Luna chose that moment to act. She swung the tele-pod upward, pointing the buzzing screen directly at the nearest troll. The creature reared back, clawing at the hated light as though it were a solid enemy. The light blasted the troll’s retinas, sending him staggering backward into his companions. A group of the animals tumbled into the river. Panic spread back along the line like a virus. The creatures reacted to water as though it were acid dappling their fur and backpedaled furiously toward the shore. This was no orderly retreat. Anything in the way got scythed or bitten. Gouts of venom and blood flew through the air, and the water bubbled as though it were boiling. The troll’s howls of bloodlust changed to keening screams of pain and terror.

  
Luna wielded the tele-pod like a giant flashlight, advancing step-by-step across the makeshift bridge. She tried to concentrate on keeping her balance on the treacherous ground. She stepped from rock to rock, wobbling like novice tightrope walkers. Luna swung the tele-pod in smooth arcs, blasting trolls from every angle.

  
“Oh, my” the girl commented on the large number of trolls coming “I wonder what Harry would do in a situation like this” she pondered.

A crafty bull ducked low, avoiding Luna’s first sweep. He reached out one talon, cracking the pod’s waterproof casing. Luna stumbled backward making her fall into the river, landing with a solid thump in the shallow water.

  
The blonde felt the air shoot from her lungs and took an instinctive breath. Unfortunately, she took in water rather than air. She tried to keep her elbows locked, so the ruptured casing stayed out of the river.

  
Some splash drops crept into the crack, and sparks began to play across the screen.

  
Luna struggled to her feet, simultaneously aiming the screen at the bull troll as she coughed water from her lungs.

  
“Oh no” Luna realizing that her weapon was no longer of use “I guess it’s time to run” 

  
She trudged through the water, stepping around thrashing trolls.

  
Luna chose a clear spot on the bank to climb ashore. It was a relief to be on dry land again, but at the bar least, the water had been on her side, as it were; now she was truly in troll territory.

  
The remaining animals encircled her at a safe distance. Whenever one came too close, Luna swung the tele-pod in its direction, and the creature skipped back as though stung. She was now fighting the cold, the fatigue, and the shock in her system.

  
Luna took several deep breaths, building up her strength. Her arms were sore from holding the tele-pod, but she would not let the fatigue show in her face or the fear. She looked those trolls straight in their red eyes and let them know they were dealing with a formidable enemy.

  
“Artemis, you better get here soon”

  
Luna took one final breath, then charged. The trolls were not expecting this tactic. After all, what kind of creature would attack a troll? They broke ranks in the face of the arc of white light, and their disconcertion lasted just long enough for Luna to charge through the hole in the line.

  
She hurried up the incline toward the temple.

  
“Looks like puberty finally hit you huh?” Mulch commented as Butler drove Artemis and the dwarf to the fairy shuttleport in Tara. “Going as far as to ask me, to save a girl”

  
As soon as he made his deal with Mulch, Artemis quickly contacted Butler to meet him in Hogsmeade where they flooed to the Manor (which luckily was empty due to his parents being Westmeath again) fetched Diggums, and were now headed for Tara. Draco and Theodore were to cover for him at least until the next morning or so.

  
“She’s my assistant,” Artemis said coolly “She knows vital things about my research, and if she does survive the wave of trolls Opal might use her against me”

  
Butler looked at his charge from the side view mirror “I thought she was your partner?”

  
“That depends upon her mood” Artemis rubbed his temples “Or to be more specific if the Nargles tell her so”

  
The dwarf seemed confused “Nargles?”

  
“We’re here” Butler parked the Bentley five yards from the shuttleport’s camouflaged entrance.

  
“I guess I’m off to work” Mulch then dove from the rear door straight into the earth submerging himself into the rich Irish soil.

  
Butler then moved the car again going to where they agreed to meet Mulch for the shuttle. The manservant took this opportunity to talk to his charge “I assume Miss Lovegood was more than some pawn for you”

  
Artemis kept his straight face “She’s not a pawn, she’s not even a chess piece, she’s the bouncing ball you use when you play jackstones”

  
“Just saying you’re friends can’t be that difficult,” Butler told his young charge “You already call Draco and the others that”

  
The Irish teen turned to the window looking at the vast green pastures near Tara “Something I shouldn’t have done”

  
Butler raised a brow.

  
“I’ve put them in danger. Much like Potter a mere association with me has left my acquaintances and allies at risk.” He then added “Especially her”

  
“They’re all willing to take the hit” Butler spoke “You know that”

  
Artemis remained silent for a moment before he brought out his laptop to check where Opal’s shuttle was heading “The LEP is at a loss right now, Holly’s going to have a court-martial at any moment now and Foaly can’t help us” 

  
“Looks like we’re on our own on this one then” 

  
Artemis typed on his keyboard “If things go according to my calculations, we’ll be back in Hogwarts before the last feast”

  
“How is Miss Lovegood holding up?” they had finally reached their destination, fifteen miles northeast of Tara, near a cluster of rocks shaped like a clenched fist.

  
A few more clicks were heard and Butler noticed the young wizard’s eyes widened for half a second before replying in his normal tone “We better hurry, she won’t last long”

Luna looked down at the massing trolls. They were advancing warily up the slope, heads down in case of a second flash.

  
“I guess this is it” she did a weak smile. “At least an entertaining way to go”

  
The trolls were hurrying now, swinging their hairy forearms forward to increase momentum. As their confidence returned, so did their voices.

  
Their howls to the roof bounced back off the metal structure.

  
The howling made it hard to concentrate. The smell didn’t help either.

  
She tried to close her eyes; they always say it made the pain go away. 

  
But she didn’t.

  
Luna was born an optimist; despite having the tragic childhood of witnessing her mother’s death she always remained positive. She always tried to look at things on the brighter side because taking things too seriously just gave you a headache. 

  
So it wasn’t a surprise that she decided to look up. Maybe this way she could see her mother’s face than trolls eating her alive, maybe she could see all the faces of the ones she loved rather than her blood spill. Maybe she could see that silly boy who always gets mad at her making the beakers explode pink stardust. 

  
But when Luna looked up she saw none of that. Instead, she saw what seems to be the most bizarre creature she had faced yet.

  
A section of the hemisphere’s panel had been removed, and a rope was being lowered toward the temple roof. Swinging from the rope was what appeared to be a naked and extremely hairy rear end.

  
“Is this a dream?” Luna blinked “Have you come to take my soul?” 

  
“Lie flat with your hands over your ears. Shut your eyes and mouth. And whatever you do, don’t breathe in.” the creature told her. “I’m about to overload these troll’s senses”  
The blonde girl obeyed and lay on the roof.

  
Overhead, Mulch Diggums (for of course it was he) released a gentle squib of wind from his backside. Just enough to propel him in a gentle circle on the end of his rope. The circular motion was necessary to ensure an even spread of the gas he intended to release. Once he had completed three revolutions, he bore down internally and let fly with every bubble of gas in his bloated stomach.

  
Because trolls are by nature tunnel creatures, they are guided as much by their sense of smell as their night vision. A blinded troll can often survive for years, navigating his way to food and water supplies by smell alone. Mulch’s sudden gaseous recyclings sent a million conflicting scent messages to each troll’s brain. The smell was bad enough, and the wind was sufficient to blowback the trolls’ dreadlocks, but the combination of scents inside the dwarf gas, including clay, vegetation, insect life, and everything else Mulch had eaten over the past few days, was enough to short out the trolls’ entire nervous systems. They collapsed to their knees, clasping their poor aching heads in taloned hands.

  
After doing a theatrical bow (which was not easy to do on a rope) he turned to the girl “Jump on, quickly” 

  
Luna did not question the creature and stepped onto the rope and looked up to see a familiar face “Mr. Butler?” she was a bit surprised.

  
“It’s good to see you too Miss Lovegood,” Butler said as he quickly pulled her up away from danger. “Someone wants to see you”

  
  
  
When he saw Butler pull her up into the shuttle she was a total mess. Her hair had been frazzled, her uniform was torn up, and she had scabs on her elbows and dirt on her face. She was cold and signs of fatigue were everywhere, yet despite how rugged her appearance was she still had that damn smile of hers.

  
Artemis could hear Orion calling her an angel with a dirty face.

  
He didn’t realize he was just staring at her until she spoke “You should probably add trolls in the training manuals, though I think they’re a different breed”

  
The boy was silent while Butler just smiled.

  
Mulch, on the other hand, was having none of it “Hello” he waved “Your hero is right here”

  
At once Luna approached the dwarf and gave him a pet “Thank you Mr. . . . Buttocks, for rescuing me from those trolls”

  
Despite being called that Mulch had to admit the girl was sweet, she didn’t even seem disgusted by his appearance she seemed fascinated by him “Well no problems mud girl, and it’s Mulch. Mulch Diggums your friendly neighborhood dwarf.”

  
“Dwarf?” Luna’s blue eyes widened in excitement “The ones with very strong farts?”

  
Mulch smirked, “Well would you like another demonstration?”

  
Before Luna could get carried away by poking Mulch and doing who knows what Artemis did a cough “Mulch, we’ve got other issues to handle”

  
“Alright Mudboy, I won’t distract your lady here” Mulch gave the girl a wink before he went for the pilot seat and followed the coordinates Artemis had set up earlier that would locate Opal.

  
To get some sort of privacy Artemis brought Luna to a small bathroom at the rear of the shuttle. 

  
“What a weird looking toilet” Luna commented on the in-door toilet which seat was made of some spongy material. 

  
“It’s said to break down any waste that came through” Artemis made her sit on the small ledge by the porthole “But I wouldn’t test that if I were you”

  
He then proceeded to use healing charms to heal her words, fix her uniform and even clean her face (because he didn’t know what effect fairy soap had on humans and he’d rather not find out). 

  
When Artemis was done Luna finally spoke “You’re probably mad, at what I just did”

  
The teen placed his wand back “I am”

  
“I had a sense that someone was after you” she refused to look at him at the moment and decided to stare at whatever this weird bathroom had to offer. 

  
He closed his eyes “So you decide to get captured for my sake”

  
“You didn’t tell me you had enemies from other species”

  
“I believe that would have been a given” he sighed. “You were ‘this’ close from being troll meat”

  
“And what makes you think you could have fared better” she was staring at her reflection on the mirror on the side. What she saw was a young girl sitting on a toilet bowl with a boy who was just a few inches away from her, it was only now she realized how enclosed the restroom was.

  
Artemis opened his left eye “That’s beside the point”

  
Luna knew that part of the whole thing was her fault; she knew that she didn’t have any fallback plan when she drank the polyjuice potion. But right now she felt angry and Luna was never mad, not even to her tormentors, sure maybe to those who insulted her father though she never really let it out. 

  
She stood up from her toilet throne and faced the Slytherin “I believe this conversation is done” she tried to get past him but there was no actual space to move so she was still trapped in this tiny room until Artemis was to move, and unfortunately for her, he didn’t.

  
“You’re acting like a child,” he told her in a tone a grandfather would use on a toddler. 

  
Luna frowned “I’ve always acted like this”

  
“That’s your problem” their faces were now mere inches away from each other as Artemis moved forward “Why did you do it? Answer me that and I’ll let you go”

  
“I assume this letting go, is more than just me leaving this room” Luna glared.

  
He paused for a moment before he replied “Yes”

  
The girl clenched her fists and from behind him, Artemis could feel the mirror cracking “Fine” she finally said.

  
“So what will it be then?”

  
She suddenly asked, “What am I to you?”

  
“Excuse me?”

  
“Artemis Fowl” she raised her voice “I had enough of this animosity, I don’t know if I’m considered any value to you or just another of your pawns. I don’t know if this thing is going anywhere or nowhere at all. I don’t know if all we’ve been doing has been a waste of your time, my time, and everyone else’s” she didn’t realize she had been yelling until she ended her statement with a pant.

  
Shock was an understatement; Artemis didn’t know what to reply. Of all the things this girl had made him do, from riding Threstrals to reading the Quibbler (yes he read it, and he was baffled by the weather reports), she had placed him on the spot yet again and he didn’t know if he had an answer.

  
Originally he planned to finish this thing with Opal then cut ties with her as soon as they reached Hogwarts. Things were getting complicated and dangerous at the same time and Artemis didn’t know if they could both handle it. She was going to die if they didn’t come last minute, now what would have happened if it wasn’t the pixie who captured her but Death Eaters? He wasn’t an enemy to them yet but sooner or later he would be and he was sure she’d get tangled up in all of it again.

  
Luna was starting to get impatient, her logic left her when she got mad “Fine, you refuse to answer, or you probably don’t want to answer” she took a deep breath “The reason why I did that . . .”

  
Artemis was looking at her intently.

  
“Was because I care about you” the anger in her face was gone, though it was replaced with something else that seemed to be a combination of disappointment and exhaustion.

“I was worried about you, you’ve been stressed ever since the third task, even before it and I was starting to get scared for you. Then I saw that room . . . “

  
“So, you did see it”

  
“I didn’t go inside” Luna’s grey eyes bore into him “But I could already tell from the aura what you use that room for”

  
The room in question was the Chamber of Secrets in which after the events of that year Artemis had converted to use when he experimented with magic. Luna had seen the lab in question multiple times as it was safer for her to conduct potions experiments (also the fact that Professor Snape was getting irritated by his equipment being constantly damaged). 

  
There is a section of the chamber in which Artemis had sealed. Artemis had used every trick he could think of to hide that room as he did not want anyone to enter nor did he want whatever was in that room to come out. Though he was not surprised that Luna eventually stumbled upon the place. 

  
“The Dark Arts are a dangerous thing to enter into. I know you may think you are smart enough to overcome its corruption but that is not the case.”

  
“Are you referring to the incident that happened to your mother?”

  
She closed her eyes “I’ve seen what such power could do to a person” her voice went soft almost croaking “It’s more than pain, it’s more than having the life sucked out of you, and it’ll go to the point where you want to die . . .” she opened her eyes water starting to form in her pupils “I can handle my death, but I certainly can’t see yours” 

  
“I assure you” he used his thumb to rub her tears “I know full well what I’m getting myself into”

  
“Because you’re Artemis Fowl?” she said with the corners of her mouth turning into a smile.

  
In hindsight, Artemis could have done anything else to sedate her. Comment on watersprites eating her tears, tell some joke about Mulch’s digestive tract, give her a hankie, heck a hug would have been enough. 

  
Instead, he kissed her.


	12. Close

“WHERE IS SHE!?” Ginny almost growled at Zabini as she was holding unto him by the collar which judging my the Slytherin’s complexion was a tight grip.

“PUT HIM DOWN WEASLEY!” Draco pushed the redhead trying to save his friend from choking to death.

Ginny fell on her bum and gave the blond a glare “WHERE IS FOWL?!”

Theodore was raising his hands “Please stop yelling” he pointed to the door of the classroom they were on “They might hear us”

“I would if this damn peasant didn’t start attacking like some rabid animal!” Draco looked down at the Gryffindor with a sneer.

Ginny quickly stood up “Oh I’ll show you what a rabid animal really is!” she was about to pounce on Draco only for Pansy to grab the girl by the shoulder.

“Weasley he may be an ass but now is not the time,” Pansy said.

“Then someone tell me what on earth is going on!” Ginny pulled away from Pansy.

Blaise was on the floor massaging his cheek “Why do I keep getting attacked when one of them gets kidnapped”

Theodore whispered “Blaise . . .”

“Kidnapped!?” Ginny let out a yell again.

“Would you shut up if before I Silencio you” Draco pointed his wand against the girl?

The redhead did a frown and crossed her arms “Fine, explain”

“Alright” Draco lowered his wand “From the really brief note Fowl left it seems as though . . . Lovegood may have been taken by an acquaintance of his”

Ginny closed her eyes “Where did they take her?”

“He didn’t say,” said Theodore “All we know is that at around one or two in the morning he went to Hogmeade to get Butler and gave us this clay thing that we would put in one of the beds to make it seem like they’re in the hospital wing”

Ginny’s jaw set “So you basically have no clue either”

“Oh shut up!” Draco squeezed his hands into fists “It’s not like we had any choice in the matter anyway”

At this Ginny snorted “So is that how everything runs with you guys? You just sit back and wait for Fowl to pop up with a solution?”

“We’re not his goons if that’s what you’re thinking” Blaise pointed a finger at the ginger “You have no idea the times we had to save that damn Irish boy’s behind”

Theodore clapped his hands in order to get everyone’s attention “Alright, we’re stressed and tired from exams . . .”

“I’m sure there are other things to be more stressed about than that” Pansy interjected.

“Anyway . . .” Theodore continued “We must calm down, we’re both worried about our friends”

Once again Pansy butted in “Um no, while yeah Artemis was nice to me I consider him more of a close acquaintance and Looo. . . . Lovegood is . . . somewhere there as well”

At this Ginny rolled her eyes “Really? After everything she’s done for you?”

“I didn’t ask her to be nice to me!” Pansy crossed her arms and looked away “And neither did I ask for your opinion”

“Oh, here we go again” Ginny lifted her hands.

Theodore looked at from one girl to the other “Umm . . . guys?”

“Why are you always like this?” Ginny pointed “Just when I thought you aren’t that bad of a person you start going ohh I’m a high and mighty pure-blood and call me a peasant”

“I have not called you a peasant!” Pansy defended herself “The moment we stepped into this room I have not mentioned anything about your overcrowded family!”

“THERE YOU SAID IT!”

“That’s because you were asking me to say it!”

“Weasley no one cares about your dumb family” Draco finally spoke up “She didn’t say anything it was me!”

At this Pansy raised a brow “Oh so now you’re being nice”

Draco scrunched his eyebrows “I wasn’t being nice; I insult her kind almost everyday I’m owning up to it”

“What the heck is wrong with you people?” Ginny looked at the Slytherins “Is being nice that hard for you?”

“Well it’s a matter of pride you see” Blaise was still massaging his neck “Especially for Draco cause you know daddy issues”

“I don’t have daddy issues!” Draco yelled.

Blaise shook his palm “Nehh . . . you kinda do, I mean . . . yeah you do”

“Yeah, he has point” Ginny agreed.

“Shut up, you know nothing about me nor my father”

“I know enough to know that he’s probably gonna join up . . .”

“OKAY THAT IS ENOUGH!” Theodore banged his fist on the table.

Immediately everyone turned to see that the Slytherin had banged his fist so hard on the table that there was a dent and his hands looked quite red.

Theodore took a deep breath and looked up to the heavens before facing them with his usual smile “Now why don’t we have lunch first?”

“So, you’re Fowl’s schoolmate?” Luna turned around to see a red-haired elf with a heart-shaped face dressed in a green garment that hugged her skin.

Luna did a small curtsy “Yes I am” she cocked her head to the side “You’re quite pretty”

They had managed to break-out Holly out of prison and were now being hunted by an army of LEP officers under the command of a very irritated Commander Sool. The two were currently in the passenger area. Holly had parked the shuttle on the floor of a secondary chute close to the surface while they were waiting for Artemis to finish his work on the computer.

A small blush appeared on the fairy’s face “Oh . . . thank you” she extended her hand “Holly Short, Captain for the LEP . . .” she paused “Or in this case wanted by the LEP”

The blonde girl took a closer look at the older woman’s face “Are you perhaps related to Cupid in someway?”

“Was it that obvious?” Holly let out a laugh “He’s actually my great-grandfather, only met him once when I was a baby though”

“I never met my grandfather” Luna mused “I only saw him through drawings on my mother’s journal”

Holly was taken aback “I’m sorry to hear that”

“It’s alright” she smiled “I see him every once in awhile when I go look for gulping plimpies by the swamp near our house”

This piqued the captain’s interest “Gulping plimpies?”

Luna’s face lit up “Well they are this certain breed of plimpy who have a distinction from normal ones due to their very large digestive track that it takes up almost majority of their entire body mass”

“Well . . .” Holly nodded not sure how to properly react “That’s quite something”

“It’s actually quite easier to see if you look at a dissection of one” Luna continued on with her discussion “I have tried to dissect one, but I’m always disturbed by the Nargles”

“Nargles?”

“They’re nasty creatures, they may seem small and insignificant but if there’s one thing they are very capable of doing it’s causing even the smallest number of annoyances that would rile you up for a day”

“If there are creatures that bring annoyance it’s definitely the swear toads” Holly’s face almost twisted in memory of them.

Luna cocked her head “I might have heard of the talking toads”

“Oh they talk alright” the fairy rolled her eyes “You see they were some silly prank made by a couple of college warlocks messing around who decided to give normal frogs the power of speech but being silly college kids they made sure the only words they knew were swear words”

Luna tapped her chin “Do they only swear in one language?”

“As of now yes” Holly explained “But let me tell you aside from the profanity they’re also literal pains in the butt, I got bitten by one once and it was horrible”

“So they’re venomous?”

“They only cause swelling, but I had to get a shot to prevent further infection and that was more painful than the actual bite” she shivered in memory.

This piqued the young Ravenclaw’s curiosity “If it would not trouble you would it be possible to see these creatures?”

Holly smirked at this “If Artemis somehow manages to convince Sool to pardon me then I won’t mind”

“You seem to have a lot of faith in him” Luna suddenly asked.

Immediately Holly busted out laughing “Oh you could say that I usually have no choice in the matter really”

“He seems like the type to have more enemies than friends”

The comment made the officer laugh out louder “You’re definitely right about that”

“I sense irony in your statement”

“I’m sorry, it’s just so true” Holly was holding back tears “I’m sure he hasn’t told you how we met?”

Luna raised a brow “He did seem uncomfortable when I asked him about it”

“It’s quite a long story but let’s just say . . .” Holly’s mouth set in a hard line “He was a very different person back then”

“Would you say its for the better?”

A small smile formed on her face “Definitely, say are you the only friend he’s got in Hogwarts”

“He’s quite popular in the Slytherin house, there are a couple of boys who he is quite fond of” 

“That’s good” Holly nodded “It’s nice to see him growing somewhat. He may seem like the type to have the whole world figured out sometimes I wonder if he ever experienced being a kid really”

She gave the fairy a once-over before replying “You must have been through a lot with him”

“You could say that” she shrugged “So what about you?”

Luna’s forehead furrowed “What about me?”

“How close are you two?”

Immediately images of what happened in the cubicle flashed in her mind.

“Not as close as you two,” said Luna.

Students' eyes were on the Slytherin table as a certain member of the Weasley family was found to be eating with the group. The young girl stood out from the sea of green with her matching red hair and robes. As a result, there was chatter around the Great Hall where students pondered on what on earth was going on.

“Even with Artemis gone we’re being looked upon like some freak show” Theodore groaned as he ate his slice of Plimpy Pie.

Blaise on the other hand was just staring at his plate “The only freakshow is this fish sticking out of the pie” he poked the plimpy head with a fork “Like whose idea was this?”

“It tastes fine” Theodore shrugged “It’s actually kinda chewy”

The dark-skinned wizard pushed his plate away “I’m not taking my chances with this one”

Pansy stabbed her fork on the pie in frustration and turned to the redhead beside her “Weasley, why on earth are you eating here anyway?”

She was poking her pie with some determination in her face “Is it a crime, Luna eats over at our table all the time”

“That’s a separate case altogether” Pansy reasoned “Gryffindor table would accept just about anyone and Lovegood is like mushroom that pops wherever she feels like”

“They seem fine with it” Ginny pointed her fork to Draco and friends.

Draco had been glaring at the Weasley the entirety of the meal, but he did not say anything. Theodore on the other hand whispered into the girl’s ear “They’re actually talking, and I’d rather not repeat what I have heard” he paused for a moment “Just don’t pass the girl’s bathroom when you go for Charms later”

“I think you have other problems to worry about Weasley” Blaise pointed at a grumpy Ron Weasley marching to their table with Hermione who seemed to be trying to calm him down and Harry who looked like he wanted to be somewhere else.

“WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS THIS GINNY!?” Ron barked at his sister “Why are you eating with these snobby bastards?”

“Ron!” Hermione swore if she didn’t have any self-control she would stun the boy but alas nagging was her only option as of now.

Ginny lifted her chin “I’m fine, you don’t need to worry about me”

“I mean she fits right in” Blaise chimed in “I mean wasn’t she Slytherin’s heir?”

Immediately the boy received looks from several people on the table.

Pansy sighed before she turned to the male Weasley “She’s a grown girl she can handle herself, let her relish in her dumb decisions”

“She’s . . . right” Ginny rolled her eyes before facing her brother “As I said I can handle myself”

“Handle yourself?!” Ron raised both his brows “Remember what happened last time?”

At this, the girl stood up “You won’t let me live that down, you just keep bringing it up every damn time!”

“I’m just trying to look out for you” Ron pointed at her chest.

“You’re babying me!”

That was when a certain pair popped out of nowhere.

“Alright,” said Fred.

“Settle down,” said George.

“What’s going on?” asked Fred.

George then realized where they were “Oh, eating with emotional kids are we?”

Draco groaned “Why did all the annoying Gryffindors decide to congregate in here? Of all places”

“Well it’s not by choice,” said George.

“We came here to talk,” said Fred.

At this Hermione raised a brow “To whom?”

“Our investor!” George grinned.

Hermione’s eyes went wide “Investor? Someone actually decided to invest in your business?”

Ron on the other hand look disgusted “You let a Slytherin invest in you?”

“Oh of course,” Fred said.

“These people make better business decisions,” said George.

In here Harry finally spoke, “Wait . . . don’t tell me your investor is . . .”

At this, the twins sang in chorus “Artemis Fooooooowwwwwwl”

“Oh yeah,” Blaise snapped his fingers “He did tell me that . . . I think he convinced me to buy stocks with you”

“Did you say stocks?” Hermione gasped “You don’t even have a store!”

“Don’t underestimate Fowl Incorporated” Fred said.

“No, I think it was Fowl Tech?” George corrected.

“Anyway . . .”

“Where is he?”

“He’s at the hospital wing” Theodore responded “He didn’t feel well”

“Wait we’re getting off topic!” Ron waved his hands “Ginny why are you in the Slytherin tables? And where’s Luna?”

Ginny sighed “She’s also in the hospital wing, she got a fever as well”

“As well?” Fred smirked.

“Oh my” George smirked back.

“Did they got lover’s pox?” this got Fred a hard nudge from Hermione.

The trip back to Hogwarts had been composed of Mulch talking about his cousin’s house in Miami and Butler’s acquaintance with the bartender of the Leaky Cauldron. They had managed to stop Opal’s drilling plan in the nick of time and save Holly from being thrown to prison (again).

Right now Luna was eating one of the truffles that she had managed to take after she snuck into Opal’s shuttle. Artemis on the other hand was tired from trying to pilot the shuttle while Holly tried to fend off the LEP. He was dozing off in the seats and was advised to not be awoken unless you wanted to have your internal organs burned.

Much to their surprise, there was a shuttle port not too far from the main campus of Hogwarts, even more, surprising was that it was just across Hagrid’s hut. The shuttleport hadn’t been used in sixty-five years which meant that it was kinda rusty and their already bumpy landing just became a lot more uncomfortable.

Artemis had awoken from the sudden crash and Luna’s truffles flew into the air and several ended up hitting Mulch. Butler had come to the conclusion that he was going to have a very stiff back throughout the rest of the week.

“Well . . . looks like we’re here!” Mulch said enthusiastically, he was obviously the chipper one in the group.

The large Eurasian man quickly opened the door and stepped outside just so he could feel his legs “Ah . . . I can’t wait for fresh air”. The port was currently dark, and several cobwebs had formed.

Luna followed suit leaving her fallen truffles to Mulch who gladly ate them “Well . . . that was an . . . eventful evening”

“We better get you back before they notice you’ve been gone” Butler turned on his torchlight and proceeded to look for an exit.

Artemis was completely exhausted, he now wondered how Holly managed to handle the pressure from piloting such things (he would later realize that he had been doing it all wrong from driving it on automatic). The Irish teen rubbed her forehead as he exited the shuttle “The exit is over there” he pointed lazily.

Luna shivered “It’s quite cold in here”

“Do I have to do all the work here?” Mulch went around the port as if he actually lived there (which he did around 50 years ago) and immediately located the exit.

When they got out Butler sighed in relief as he was able to stretch his legs “The LEP should really consider at least making one human sized shuttle” he stretched his back “Or at least give me some back adjusting contraption”

Mulch shrugged “With Sool as chief? I’d rather mate with that centaur if that ever happened”

The two young wizards came out of the port “Isn’t that Hagrid’s hut?” Luna pointed at the gamekeeper’s residence.

Artemis turned around “And here comes Hagrid”

Indeed the giant was there holding some sort of weapon “What are ya doin’ here at dis time of da day?”

“Good evening” Artemis yawned “I assume you wouldn’t accept sleepwalking as an excuse”

Luna then replied, “We were just here to visit Mr. Butler” she pointed at the man who was slightly shorter than Hagrid.

“What was your business with him?” the gamekeeper asked.

“He was having Rexiptablots, its an illness from St. Marianne’s Besslops that makes your skin dry and vision blurry” she referred to Mulch “The only cure for them was dwarfs saliva and we just so happened to stumble upon one”

“A dwarf you say?” he said looking over the burglar “I’ve never seen a dwarf like you before”

“I’m quite a looker, aren’t I?” Mulch smiled.

“Well, I’m better now and I think it was time to bring these two back into campus” Butler played along with Luna’s story “Artemis was exhausted extracting the saliva”

“That’s because he didn’t know where to poke” Mulch grunted.

Artemis just waved his hand not caring as long as he would get to bed ASAP “Fine whatever, let’s just go”

“I still have Raipi energy drink do you want some?” Luna offered.

Artemis raised a brow “Are those the ones from Finland that use rat urine?”

“They’re not from Finland, they’re just popular there”

“I’ll pass,” he said as they went for the campus.

Luna was trying to sneak into Ravenclaw Tower undetected but upon reaching the steps she found quite a surprise. Sitting on the bottom steps in awkward silence were Ginny Weasley and Pansy Parkinson.

It was Pansy who lifted her head as she approached “Told you Weasley” the girl said in a monotone “She’s back”

Immediately Ginny stood up and attacked the Ravenclaw with a hug “Thank heavens you’re alright” she tightly squeezed her best friend “I was worried sick”

Luna gave a faint smile and gently patted the girl’s back “Sorry for worrying you”

Ginny pulled away but still held onto Luna’s shoulders “What the hell did Fowl do this time?”

“It . . . wasn’t his fault” Luna kept her smile “It was mostly mine”

“Of course, it is,” Pansy said standing up and dusting her pants “Did you know how long we had to wait in here? Filch would have caught us if I didn’t bring a rat to distract that squib”

Ginny rolled her eyes “Well we wouldn’t have been in that situation if you brought something to stop your sneezing”

“Not my fault I’m allergic to whatever you’re wearing” it was here that Luna realized the girl had a box of napkins next to her.

“It’s nice to see that you two got along while I was gone” Luna commented.

Immediately the two girls had disgusted looks on their faces.

“Got along?”

“Us?”

“You’re off your rocker Looney” Pansy grabbed her box of napkins and stomped away from the two going back to her dorm.

Ginny had a frown on her face and was contemplating on saying something before she yelled out “Thanks for helping me with Defense!”

Pansy stopped in her tracks and spun around with a red face “YOU IDIOT SOMEONE COULD HEAR YOU!”

Ginny just brought out her tongue before dragging Luna up the staircase.

“She lent you her notes again?” Luna asked as they walked up the steps.

“She helped me practice spells for the practical exam” Ginny had her hands in her pocket “I originally asked Theodore since he seemed like the nicest and most level-headed one, but Draco kept butting in and it just turned into chaos after that”

“Speaking of exams” Luna rubbed her chin “Did Artemis leave a clone or something?”

“Oh that” Ginny let out a sigh “Well Artemis told the boys to leave these . . . lumps of clay at Madame Pomfrey’s that stood as a decoy but . . . let’s just say the twins might have spread a weird rumor because of that”

The Ravenclaw just shrugged “Nothing new, it’s been done before”

“I know I’ve asked you a thousand times” the two stopped walking upon reaching the large door with a bronze knocker in the shape of an eagle “But seriously what is going on between you and Fowl?”

Luna let out a sigh “I honestly don’t know, and I don’t think he knows either”

The following day there was talk around the Great Hall and once again it was something to do with the Slytherins.

“What did they do this time?” Ginny asked as she and Luna were taking a seat.

“DRACO WHAT ON EARTH HAPPENED TO YOUR FACE!” the girls turned to see Pansy with a mortified look on her face.

Sitting at the Slytherin table while covering the right side of his face with his palm was an annoyed Draco “It’s nothing” he muttered. There was a bandage wrapped around the area in his right eye.

“When did this happen?” Pansy was not having it as she looked at Theodore “Did he get attacked?”

“The opposite actually” eyes turned to see the resident Irish genius who also had a black eye but wasn’t as bad as Draco’s.

Pansy placed her hands on her hips “What did you two idiots do last night?” she looked at the boys in exasperation “Like . . . I expected better from the both of you”

“I mean we were surprised too” Blaise raised his hands “Like we just woke up and found both Fowl and Malfoy on the floor”

Artemis just took his seat and grabbed his serving of pudding as though nothing was wrong. Draco looked away from the boy and was muttering something under his breath.

“Why didn’t you have that fixed in the hospital wing?” Pansy asked, her appetite had long been gone.

“Oh, he did,” Theodore said taking his slice of toast “But they had another fight this morning, Artemis stabbed Draco’s eye with his wand before Draco knocked him out cold again”

Pansy rubbed her forehead “Oh Merlin, and what do you have to say for yourselves?” she turned to Artemis “Since when did you start brawling with your fists? I thought that was beneath you!”

Chewing his pudding and swallowing “Self-defense” Artemis replied.

“You stabbed his eye!” Pansy raised her hands to the heavens before turning to Draco “And you! What on earth were you thinking of punching him in the first place?”

Draco let out a sigh “Pride”

“That’s it” Pansy pushed herself away from the table “This is obviously a matter that only you guys would resolve, and I’m not taking any chances”

As Pansy walked off Theodore turned to his friends “Good thing we didn’t mention the third fight where Orion came out” he whispered.

“Would Dumbledore still suspend you?” Blaise wondered out loud “I mean exams are already over”

Draco could see from the corner of his still functioning eye Luna Lovegood who seemed to be covering her mouth and leaning forward towards the table “Is she about to throw up?” he wondered.

Artemis also turned to look and noticed that Ginny had a worried look on her face and also a couple of Gryffindors.

“Is she gonna be okay?” Theodore wondered.

“Maybe she got a flu from wherever you came from,” Blaise said.

“No” Artemis resumed his eating “She’s holding her laughter, because she finds this whole predicament between me and Malfoy quite amusing”

And right on cue Luna busted out in laughter surprising the people around her. It was quite strange that the usually quiet and whimsical Luna Lovegood was now hollering. Her face was bright red, there were tears in her eyes and her hands were wrapped around her chest as though she was trying to support herself.

Pansy who had just returned from the restroom and saw Luna couldn’t help but look up to the heavens “Merlin why am I grouped together with insane people?” 


End file.
